open 1 of 4

1
as in to unlock
to change from a closed to an open position please open the door to let the cat out

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to clear
to make passage through (something) possible by removing obstructions we need to open this drain that's clogged with hair

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
as in to expand
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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5

open

2 of 4

adjective

1
2
as in public
freely available for use or participation by all the lanes at the bowling alley will be open during the afternoon, but will be available only for league play in the evening

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3
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9

open

3 of 4

noun (1)

as in wilderness
that part of the physical world that is removed from human habitation a daguerreotype of a cowboy whose face is roughened from a hard life in the open

Synonyms & Similar Words

openness

4 of 4

noun (2)

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
Verb
Next month, the local wedding venue owner will open JP Restaurant and Lounge in the former Sarto’s space in Jefferson Park. Max Scheinblum, Denver Post, 13 Aug. 2025 Bodyguard of Lies, an investigation into the United States’ bloody, costly, and ultimately futile war in Afghanistan, will open theatrically for a limited run in New York on September 12, before bowing on the Paramount+ platform on Sept. 23. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Strickland wants to see the Corps use more of the dredge material for coastal restoration projects, or take it offshore to the open Gulf, as was the practice between 1986 and 2014. Debbie Elliott, NPR, 12 Aug. 2025 Before Kunkel even left, another job title was also listed open: quality enhancement plan director. Stephanie Kuzydym, The Courier-Journal, 12 Aug. 2025
Noun
Dixie Hwy 110 Marketplace Drive When is Scooter's Coffee open? Lillian Metzmeier, The Courier-Journal, 4 Aug. 2025 Futures data points to losses at the open for European indexes, with London's FTSE 100 expected to open 0.2% lower, France's CAC 40 unchanged, Germany's DAX down 0.6%, and Italy's FTSE MIB 0.1% lower. Ganesh Rao,jenni Reid, CNBC, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for open
Recent Examples of Synonyms for open
Verb
  • The Power 4 conference can unlock creativity, ensure fair competition at the highest level, create equality and drive college athletics into the future.
    Jim Martin, Denver Post, 13 Aug. 2025
  • His strength could unlock new fronts when the Patriots deploy heavy personnel or want to kick him inside as an interior rusher in subpackages.
    Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • When the funds never cleared, victims often contacted Kingston and Turner repeatedly, but were either never paid or received money only after filing lawsuits or contacting law enforcement, authorities said.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 16 Aug. 2025
  • Nonprofit outreach workers helped residents clear their belongings.
    Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Senate Bill 19, passed during the 2025 legislative session, expanded on a preexisting law that allowed parents to pull students from school for moral instruction one hour each week.
    Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The Visual Media & Platform division, which includes anime and mobile content in Japan, also expanded.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Using his electric superpower, Fester causes an explosion that frees the L.O.I.S. subjects from their cells.
    Selome Hailu, Variety, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Machine learning reviews production data to identify bottlenecks or root causes of errors, freeing up capacity and improving output.
    Bill Rokos, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • However, thefts began to rise again in 2023, peaking in March 2024, according to a separate analysis by HLDI.
    Stuart Dyos, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2025
  • The Who began the North American leg of their The Song Is Over farewell tour Saturday evening at the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Reporter Julie Hinds shares more on the future of public programming in this story.
    Leah Olajide, Freep.com, 9 Aug. 2025
  • The chief's association said the goal of the roundtable is to review the impact of current bail reform policies, promoting consistent sentencing and building transparency and public confidence in the judicial system.
    Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Light: Some investors worry mid-caps are more vulnerable to market volatility.
    Larry Light, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
  • Currently, no laws require AI companies to disclose training data, leaving creators vulnerable to exploitation.
    Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Naturally, romantic commitments could become affected by the trajectory of your professional goals, so be honest with yourself.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Creatively, the book features specific talking points to spark transparent and honest conversations.
    Essence, Essence, 7 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Open.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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