ˈōp-niŋ
1
as in opportunity
a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place
the talk show host's usual modus operandi is to talk over his guests, thereby denying them an opening to articulate their positions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in aperture
a place in a surface allowing passage into or through a thing
an opening in the roof is letting rain drip inside
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in gap
an open space in a barrier (as a wall or hedge)
the rabbit found a little opening in the bushes and darted through
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in initial
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in unlocking
to change from a closed to an open position
please open the door to let the cat out
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clearing
to make passage through (something) possible by removing obstructions
we need to open this drain that's clogged with hair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in expanding
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 freeing
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
as in beginning
to take the first step in (a process or course of action)
we will open the proceedings tomorrow with a short ceremony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of opening
Jim Edwards, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
The tentative opening is this fall, but is tentative based on the progress of construction.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Nov. 2025
Kansas City Star, 19 Sep. 2025
All of that is just the opening salvo of the film, delivered with breakneck assurance by Anderson.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Add in the flourishes provided by Poku and Kofane, in particular — the former’s opening goal last weekend was a masterpiece — and the picture is of a brittle but talented group, clearly in a development stage, but with obvious potential in key areas.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opening
Noun
Prior to the opening of the market in New York, S&P 500 futures are down more than a full percentage point.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2025
The tentative opening is this fall, but is tentative based on the progress of construction.
—Andy Humbles, Nashville Tennessean, 4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Customers had been giving him positive feedback at pre-opening events, especially those who live in the neighborhood apartments.
—Kansas City Star, 19 Sep. 2025
All of that is just the opening salvo of the film, delivered with breakneck assurance by Anderson.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
Detroit thumped Chicago 52-21 one week after a season-opening loss to Green Bay.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Add in the flourishes provided by Poku and Kofane, in particular — the former’s opening goal last weekend was a masterpiece — and the picture is of a brittle but talented group, clearly in a development stage, but with obvious potential in key areas.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opening
Noun
-
For years, younger generations have flocked to big cities for better job opportunities, leaving a dwindling elderly population in rural villages.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Instead of pursuing chances to pitch reboots of Hollywood’s most beloved properties, scraping the bottom of the barrel might afford you more opportunities to make films that truly feel your own.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
However, a telescope with an aperture of 8-inches or more will reveal Uranus as a tiny blue dot in the eyepiece under good atmospheric conditions.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Under Baer, Stitch Fix has been opening the aperture and is letting consumers get larger fixes on their own timetables as well as shipments based on a theme or built around a purchase through the platform’s freestyle service.—
Evan Clark,
Footwear News,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Despite being one of three teams to make the playoffs from the NL Central division, the gap between the Cubs and Brewers is sizable.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The widening gap followed a private equity spending spree in 2021, as firms rushed to deploy unspent funds, with activity also boosted by ultra-low interest rates.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
His initial coping mechanism was to throw his water bottle in frustration.—
Roshane Thomas,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
-
The items collect dust, and the space is rarely revisited after the initial setup until the holidays come around.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Features like full-color displays, dual smart unlocking options, and the shocfree™ suspension system help make every ride smoother, safer, and more intuitive—freeing riders from the stress of traffic and unreliable public transit.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Using a digital wristband, visitors can personalize their journey by selecting a Hogwarts house and unlocking interactive moments along the way.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
However, clearing the hurdle of high up-front costs for batteries and chargers will make for lower long-term operating costs.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The researchers built a fully functioning quantum chip based on this qubit to validate its performance, clearing one of the key obstacles to efficient error correction and scalability for industrial systems.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In 2025, Ohtani is likely to earn another MVP award, adding to his ever-expanding trophy cabinet.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Environmental advocates question the need for expanding fossil fuel resources a time when greenhouse gases from those fuels are worsening climate change.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But while the plants are generating increasingly widespread enthusiasm, dark events are beginning to overshadow the news.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Some Americans are beginning to see this month's SNAP food benefits restored.—
Jennifer Ludden,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Opening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opening. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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