opener

noun

open·​er
ˈōp-nər,
ˈō-pə- How to pronounce opener (audio)
: one that opens
a bottle opener
: such as
a
openers plural : cards of sufficient value for a player to open the betting in a poker game
b
: the first item, contest, or event of a series
Phrases
for openers
: to begin with

Example Sentences

The album's opener is a slow love song.
Recent Examples on the Web The Beavers won the opener, 5-4, using a Travis Bazzana eighth-inning double and solid bullpen pitching to earn a come-from-behind victory. Joe Freeman, oregonlive, 3 Mar. 2023 Indeed, before Crawford, the last Red Sox pitcher taken outside of the top 10 rounds to make at least 10 starts in the big leagues (not counting short-inning opener Jalen Beeks) was 2000 draftee Kason Gabbard. Alex Speier, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Mar. 2023 Next, Nebraska’s top appellate lawyer, state Solicitor General James Campbell, will step up and proceed under the same format—two-minute opener, free-for-all, round robin. Jess Bravin, WSJ, 28 Feb. 2023 A week after tossing two touchdown passes in Houston’s XFL opener, quarterback Brandon Silvers threw for two more TDs in the Roughnecks’ 23-14 victory over the Arlington Renegades on Sunday night to cap Week 2 of the season. Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 26 Feb. 2023 Grapefruit League opener: Detroit Tigers vs. Philadelphia Phillies When: 1:05 p.m. Saturday. Kirkland Crawford, Detroit Free Press, 25 Feb. 2023 Two things do stand out in their absence: there's no dock and not a single gimmick in the gas-flap-release, trunk-opener, and rear-window-flipper ilk that virtually all new Japanese cars have spoiled us with lately. Don Sherman, Car and Driver, 22 Feb. 2023 March 28 – Brewers break camp in Phoenix after final preseason game. March 30 – Season opener against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, 1:20 p.m. Todd Rosiak, Journal Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2023 Only Shank may truly know, but with the St. Pete season-opener – where Castroneves has won three times – still to come, Castroneves still feels as if the direction of his career remains firmly in his hands. Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 7 Feb. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'opener.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of opener was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near opener

Cite this Entry

“Opener.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opener. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

opener

noun
open·​er ˈōp-(ə-)nər How to pronounce opener (audio)
: something used for opening
a bottle opener
a conversation opener

More from Merriam-Webster on opener

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!


Love It or Hate It

  • heart-fire
  • When asked about her blind date, Carol spoke for hours with vitriol.
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY