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 For Starbucks patrons at an upscale mall in Beijing’s central business district – the same complex where the company first opened its doors in China in 1999 – the news doesn’t come as a complete surprise. John Liu, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025 The last time San Diego State opened a men’s basketball season against Long Beach State, in 2010, Kawhi Leonard and the Aztecs trailed by one deep into the second half and needed three 3s by backup guard James Rahon to grind out a nervy road win. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Nov. 2025 The movie, written and directed by Craig Brewer, features the full cooperation of songwriting legend Diamond, 84, who opened his songbook to filmmakers. Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025 Jonathan’s Grille just opened a new location in Maryland Farms in Brentwood and plans to start construction of a Knoxville restaurant overlooking the outfield of the new minor league baseball stadium in March. Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Nov. 2025 Half a dozen others have opened their home to him and introduced him to Wisconsin culture. Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 4 Nov. 2025 Last month, JPMorgan officially opened its new $3 billion global headquarters in Manhattan, a 60-story skyscraper equipped with 19 restaurants, a company store, and gym. Preston Fore, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025 The performance opened with a black and white sequence, before partner Emma Slater joined him for a dramatic choreography. Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025 In 2014, the CCP opened the space sector to private capital, and in 2019 the China Commercial Space Alliance was launched to support that commercial growth both within China and globally. Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opened
Verb
  • And the thing that really unlocked it all was the idea for the fourth act of that movie.
    Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Nashville Zoo has unlocked a successful mating rate by keeping cubs together at a young age, going from 20% to 40% to a 95% success rate as part of its effort to protect animal species.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Work has also been undertaken to examine whether regulatory hurdles can be cleared.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Chicago police were called for assistance and cleared the scene.
    Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • One Beijing site, which expanded by nearly 50% since 2020, is involved in the production of the vaunted DF-26 medium-range ballistic missile, according to the China Aerospace Studies Institute.
    Tamara Qiblawi, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Since then, Butterfly World expanded to include two aviaries for tropical birds and an interactive lorikeet encounter area.
    Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Satellite television brought a plethora of choice into the living room, Western brands began to appear in shops and, for a burgeoning middle class, the definition of success was suddenly rewritten.
    Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Rayo began 2023-24 well under Iraola’s successor Francisco Rodriguez but then started to falter.
    Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • In a statement, the NFL confirmed that support has been extended to the Cowboys during this difficult time.
    Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 8 Nov. 2025
  • Row between stores The backlash towards Shein has extended beyond demonstrations on the street and government probes.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • And so, shortly after his startling, spirit-lifting victory in the primary last spring, the gentle flood of inquiries commenced.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Though their time on DWTS commenced nearly two decades ago, Julianne, who joined a season before Derek, remembered their playful competitiveness stirring up even further back.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • And so many millions came to our live pages and live streams and channels as the event unfolded.
    Jake Kanter, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025
  • The vehicle reportedly sped into a shopping plaza, where the incident — captured on video — unfolded.
    Bonny Chu , Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The initial symptoms began in early 2024, when Farrington, 45, started to experience dreadful night sweats.
    Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Pandemic deals gave way to record rents, and evictions started up again.
    Clio Chang, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Opened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opened. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on opened

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!