opened

past tense of open
1
2
3
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in freed
to rid the surface of (as an area) from things in the way snowplows opened the runway without much trouble

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

5

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 Prosecutors said that soon afterward, law enforcement detained both defendants and opened a duffle bag Olvera had carried. City News Service, Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026 Sky forward-center Azura Stevens opened the team’s press availability, saying that security handled a fan incident and that the team was going to focus on the game. Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 24 Aug. 2026 Mission Viejo 1-0 (69) The Diablos opened the season with a 55-17 rout of visiting Chaparral. Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 24 Aug. 2026 Dick’s opened its first House of Sport experiential doors in 2021. Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 24 Aug. 2026 Granada Hills Kennedy opened with a 42-14 win over Eagle Rock. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026 Local authorities opened temporary shelters, and the public school district for Washoe County canceled classes. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 The Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building, which opened to the public in 1881 and was declared a national historic landmark in 1971, closed for renovations in 2004 before reopening this past summer. News Desk, Artforum, 24 Aug. 2026 Located on the East Side of Manhattan, the 15-screen theater, including an IMAX auditorium, first opened in 1999. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 24 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opened
Verb
  • While the long ball had been the key to the Dodgers’ earlier offensive success Wednesday, keeping it simple unlocked their 10th-inning push.
    Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The Japanese government has unlocked billions of dollars in subsidies for its domestic chip sector.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The investigation report also said the fire resulted from hot metal particles falling onto vegetation below the tower, which had not been cleared in years.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • But 1,210 are now being cleared outright, according to new court filings disclosed this week.
    Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Chinese manufacturers have expanded from areas including etching and deposition into ion implantation, inspection and metrology, according to Goldman.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • His father, Charles, had expanded the New Jersey real estate development business his grandfather, a Polish Holocaust survivor, had begun after starting out as a construction laborer.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Since Starmer's political crisis began brewing in early May, the pound has fallen nearly 3% cumulative against the dollar.
    , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Without a clear message from Warsh, investors began to doubt the Fed’s inflation-fighting resolve.
    Brian Cheung, NBC news, 28 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • And, as pointed out by DC bar news website Barred In DC, alcohol sales on the National Mall have extended well past Freedom 250 events.
    Mike Stunson, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Due to the number of comments and requests from community members, the air district extended the period twice to allow for additional public input.
    Alula Alderson, Sacbee.com, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The game commenced with four unanswered scores from Jenks and sloppy play from Southlake Carroll that included a handful of early penalties, messy substitutions and a lack of rhythm.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Cloud service agreements totaled $29 billion, with data center leases not commenced of $25 billion, equity investments of $25 billion, and capital expenditures of $8 billion.
    Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Miami doesn’t play either team this season, but with the way the conference’s standings unfolded last season, every game has a chance to impact who makes it to Charlotte, North Carolina, for the conference title game in December.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The war has unfolded in fits and starts, with bursts of overwhelming American firepower repeatedly giving way to promises that diplomacy might bring it to an end.
    Steven Beynon, ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The nature of college football is that star players can emerge from relative anonymity, which makes predicting who will be the biggest before the season has even started a difficult endeavor.
    Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Alternative fuel sources saving some money for districts The Council Rock School District in lower Bucks County started migrating to propane back in the 2022-23 school year.
    Chilekasi Adele, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Opened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opened. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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