opens

verb

present tense third-person singular of open
1
as in unlocks
to change from a closed to an open position please open the door to let the cat out

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clears
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 expands
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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4
as in frees
to rid the surface of (as an area) from things in the way snowplows opened the runway without much trouble

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in begins
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 opens If the festival opens, food and beverage service will be limited, the children’s area will not be available and portions of the park may be wet or muddy. — Yvonne Zusel, AJC.com, 9 Oct. 2026 Below that, the main deck features a large lounge and dining area that opens to the spacious aft deck. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026 Director Rob Savage‘s horror title opens in 3,200 North American theaters, with the studio projecting a $20 million opening for the movie about a sinister entity showing up in a young girl’s closet. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026 Deanna hesitates, still wounded by the estrangement, but opens the house again. — Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026 Bleecker Street’s documentary by Oscar-winner Alex Gibney opens in four theaters in New York (Angelika and Lincoln Square, and LA (AMC Century City and Burbank). — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026 Saturday’s game opens a stretch of nine consecutive weeks of football for Kansas — no additional byes the rest of the way. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026 The show opens with a handful of personal objects tracing Pavarotti’s unlikely path from Belém, a port city on the edge of the Amazon, to Paris. — Alison S. Cohn, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2026 Tesla opens new semi factory watch now Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news. — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opens
  1. unlocks
  2. clears
  3. expands
  4. frees
  5. begins
  6. extends
  7. commences
  8. unfolds
Verb
  • The decision, handed down in Northern California federal court, unlocks a major surge in local mortgage assistance for the Charlotte area, the Observer previously reported.
    — Chase Jordan October 7, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
  • High protein snack ideas for the microwave A microwave unlocks warm options when the dining hall is closed.
    — Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of unlocks
Verb
  • This seven-in-one product clears large pores, boosts elasticity, and can even be used over a sheet mask to help its ingredients penetrate better.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 6 Oct. 2026
  • But good output that resembles everyone else’s often passes because each piece clears its own bar.
    — Deepa Nagraj, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of clears
Verb
  • In April 2026, the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee found that advanced AI had not yet been adopted in a way that presented systemic risk but warned that risks could increase rapidly as deployment expands.
    — Swati Deepak Kumar, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The new law expands California’s definition of who is a resident under state sales tax law in an effort to weed out phony shell companies, making a company liable for state taxes when at least one member of the business is a California resident.
    — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of expands
Verb
  • Accounting software automates much of the work, reduces mistakes, and frees up your time to focus on growing your business.
    — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • That frees skilled workers to pull wire, terminate connections, and solve the problems that still require judgment and technical training.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of frees
Verb
  • The logistics data points to pressure extending beyond the ports, with businesses facing tighter warehouse availability and elevated freight costs even as the peak shipping period begins to recede.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Thomas’ trailer follows an 11-year-old boy who builds an AI version of his late mother who rebuilds his late mother that quietly begins saving lives, captured through various moments.
    — Corbin Bolies, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of begins
Verb
  • The Italian deal extends a run of international partnerships the guild has struck since the pandemic.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
  • While the majority of shoppers are Latino, particularly Mexican, Palomino said the market’s appeal extends to other communities as well.
    — Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of extends
Verb
  • The pilot commences online and at stores across Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas.
    — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The Europa League commences with its first league phase fixtures next week, on Wednesday, September 16 and Thursday, September 17.
    — Leon Imber, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of commences
Verb
  • Related Stories The story unfolds at a toll booth station, where Rajji and her co-workers move through the same days on repeat.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Read about how that staging unfolds during the epic rumble scene near the end of the show.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of unfolds

Browse Nearby Words

openness
opens
open secret
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Cite this Entry

“Opens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opens. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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