Definition of open sesamenext
as in key
something that allows someone to achieve a desired goal it turned out that a simple "please" was the open sesame for charming the hotel manager into giving us a room with a better view

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of open sesame As Snider used Dorothy as an open sesame to the closed world of Playboy, so Hefner planned to use Dorothy as the open sesame to the closed world of major motion pictures. Lili Anolik, Vanity Fair, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for open sesame
Noun
  • The Airbnb logo appears on a mobile phone screen next to a key in Athens, Greece, on February 24, 2026.
    Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Not to lose your messages and media, set up your Signal Backup (Settings -> Backups -> Enable backups -> View recovery key -> Copy to clipboard -> Next -> Enter the recovery key -> Next -> Continue -> Choose your backup plan).
    Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • The last time someone took home the big prize was almost two months ago on May 2, when two tickets split a $20 million jackpot.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 25 June 2026
  • Sponsors American Airlines and Mastercard have teamed up to give AAdvantage Mastercard members exclusive access to the first pre-sale for tickets.
    Rachel DeSantis, PEOPLE, 24 June 2026
Noun
  • In Africa and the Middle East, where affordable devices have been the primary gateway to the internet for hundreds of millions of people, the drop is projected to exceed 20 percent.
    Tim Bajarin, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • No other airline has plans to compete with the carrier, sticking instead to traditional one-stop gateways, like Dubai, Los Angeles, or Singapore.
    Edward Russell, Travel + Leisure, 23 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Open sesame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open%20sesame. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.

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