OPENED Synonyms: 132 Similar and Opposite Words

opened

verb

past tense of open

as in unlocked

to change from a closed to an open position please open the door to let the cat out

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Relevance

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as in cleared

to make passage through (something) possible by removing obstructions we need to open this drain that's clogged with hair

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as in expanded

to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area when we got too close, the cardinal opened its wings and flew to a higher branch

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as in freed

to rid the surface of (as an area) from things in the way snowplows opened the runway without much trouble

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as in began

to take the first step in (a process or course of action) we will open the proceedings tomorrow with a short ceremony

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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 opened The Invite opened in limited release on June 26 and expanded to theaters nationwide on July 10. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026 The move was made before the Rangers opened a road series against the Los Angeles Angels. — CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 Food and drink The restaurant Chez Suzy, first opened in 2024, serves lunch and dinner. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026 New York — A $15 million aquatic center with a six-lane pool, waterslides and a lazy river opened in Quincy, Washington, a few weeks ago. — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 When Roberts was ten, the family moved to northern Indiana, where Bethlehem Steel had just opened a plant. — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026 In July, Boots opened its second beauty-only store in Bristol, a big university city in southwest England. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 4 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for opened

Verb

Blanche addressed both concerns in a document that unlocked the votes of Sens.

— David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2026
Seed money bought you a prototype and early customers; those proof points unlocked the Series A, which bought product-market fit, which unlocked the Series B, which bought scale.

— Michael Wee, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of unlocked

Verb

Stagnant smoke dropped air quality this week in the Pacific Northwest until winds Thursday and Friday cleared the worst of it from western locations, like Seattle and Portland, Oregon.

— Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Once the ground is cleared and loosened, work in a layer of topsoil, compost, or fertilizer before laying down seed.

— Amanda Tust, Architectural Digest, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of cleared

Verb

There were reports that Seagate expanded their head production facilities by 3X in Minneapolis in June, 2026.

— Thomas Coughlin, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
The conflict in the Middle East has expanded over recent days, with tensions between Yemen’s Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia ramping up.

— Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of expanded

Verb

The tour, which began in 1999, showcases Slamdance titles to different audiences around the country, expanding their reach beyond the traditional film hubs of Los Angeles and New York.

— Savannah Sicurella, AJC.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Years earlier at her former lab in Ohio, chromosomes in mouse eggs and embryos began dividing in bizarre ways, creating the kinds of genetic errors that can lead to Down syndrome and other chromosomal disorders.

— Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of began

Verb

So, Basabe laid out, extended his left arm, made contact with the ball — and sent it straight into right field.

— Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
Entering the second half, Atlanta kept the energy going and extended their lead to 25 points in the third quarter.

— Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of extended

Verb

After a study to map its sprawling network of rooms commenced in 2022, a nuclear bunker in northern Italy will transform into a Cold War museum scheduled to open in part next year.

— Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Energy Fuels has commenced a commercial-scale expansion at its White Mesa Mill in Utah, aiming to produce significant volumes of heavy rare earth oxides.

— David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of commenced

Verb

As the child of documentary filmmakers, my youth unfolded inside UN compounds across several African countries.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 Aug. 2026
Police released Friday new surveillance video of the mass shooting at an In-N-Out in Twin Falls, Idaho, showing the clearest account yet of the horrific scene that unfolded last weekend.

— Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of unfolded

Verb

The move reflects a broader strategy by Chinese automakers to manufacture closer to African consumers rather than rely solely on imports, though the trend is just getting started.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026
Another player who had started to follow a similar path to Quansah — at least in terms of impressing during a summer pre-season trip — is Ifeanyi Ndukwe, the 18-year-old centre-back.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026