1
as in unlocks
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 clears
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 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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in frees
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 begins
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
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Recent Examples of opens
The apps and websites can only be accessed again once the user opens the Brick app and taps the phone back on the little grey box.
—
Greta Cross, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
The innovative funk band Nth Power opens.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2026
Big Mistakes opens with the sounds of Laurie Metcalf bellowing about the indignities of death.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
The nursery opens in mid-April.
—Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
The main salon seamlessly connects to the aft deck, which flows over three levels, offering a dining area at the top, a lounge and a custom pool in the middle, and a hydraulic swim platform at the lower level that stretches the full length of the 26-foot beam and opens to the sea.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2026
This exhibit opens this weekend and will run through October 31.
—Kristine Sorensen, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Capy Cafe opens its doors Saturday, April 11.
—Lauren Chapman, Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2026
San Antonio opens the postseason against a team that makes it through the play-in tournament — either Phoenix, the Los Angeles Clippers or Portland.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Greta Cross, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
The innovative funk band Nth Power opens.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2026
Big Mistakes opens with the sounds of Laurie Metcalf bellowing about the indignities of death.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
The nursery opens in mid-April.
—Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
The main salon seamlessly connects to the aft deck, which flows over three levels, offering a dining area at the top, a lounge and a custom pool in the middle, and a hydraulic swim platform at the lower level that stretches the full length of the 26-foot beam and opens to the sea.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2026
This exhibit opens this weekend and will run through October 31.
—Kristine Sorensen, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Capy Cafe opens its doors Saturday, April 11.
—Lauren Chapman, Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2026
San Antonio opens the postseason against a team that makes it through the play-in tournament — either Phoenix, the Los Angeles Clippers or Portland.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opens
Verb
-
At the top sits the Reserve card, at $650 a year, which unlocks access to Delta Sky Clubs and Centurion Lounges, an annual companion certificate that includes first class and international routes, and a boost toward Medallion elite status.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Harden talks about the chemistry of human behavior, how society has shaped its views of different communities, the relationship between hereditability and perceived responsibility, and how those opinions shift as science unlocks more mysteries of the human genome.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
So Mom clears them out, taking them to a nearby nature preserve and natural-history museum, where the sharp-eyed Sasha notices the teen-age Jeremy stealing a souvenir keychain from a rotating rack.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Once a creditor clears the legal prerequisites, nothing prevents them from simultaneously directing a writ to your employer to garnish your wages and a separate writ to your bank to freeze the cash in your account.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The move follows an uptick in deadly attacks across parts of the country, even as the US-Nigeria security partnership expands.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The film shows Dane's desire for the reauthorization of the ACT for ALS, a 2021 law which grants funding to scientific research and expands access to investigational ALS treatments for people who are not otherwise eligible for clinical trials.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The pair enrolled in online classes at Dakota County Technical College through the state’s Post-Secondary Enrollment Options program, which frees up their schedules during the typical school day.—
Elliot Mann,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Passing them along not only frees up space but also helps someone who is setting up a new home get started with the essentials.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The capital murder trial of Tanner Horner, the FedEx driver charged with kidnapping and killing 7-year-old North Texas girl Athena Strand in 2022, begins Tuesday morning in Fort Worth.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The revival begins with Malcolm, played by Frankie Muniz, attending Hal and Lois’s 40th wedding anniversary party, according to Hulu.—
Francie Ebert,
NBC news,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The area is bounded by the Interstate 485/Providence Road interchange and extends south to the South Carolina state line.—
Chase Jordan
April 7,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Our work extends beyond the local level.—
Igor Alterman,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But the Passover Seder also commences the 50-day historical journey to Mount Sinai, the metaphorical site where the Jewish people received the Torah, the laws and traditions that gave shape to their journey, their culture and societal structure.—
Michael Pfleger,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
-
All changes take effect June 18 except for Cartagena, which commences June 11.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Between airline meals, charming flight attendants (played by Ella Bleu and Olga Hoffmann), unexpected stopovers, larger-than-life passengers, and a thrilling glimpse at first class, the journey unfolds in moments both magical and unexpected, charting the course for the boy's future.—
Kirsty Hatcher,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
-
While home to less than 2,000 students, the campus, called the Domain, spans 13,000 acres, much of it still wild and undeveloped, and the areas where college life unfolds are dotted with Gothic Revival architecture; take it all in with a serene stroll.—
Jennifer Stewart Kornegay,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Opens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opens. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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