Skip to main content
to open

to open

1.0
To begin an event or activity
  • verb
  • /ˈoʊpən/
translation icon : abrir
  • The company will open its doors to the public for a special event this Saturday.
  • opening statement
  • open new opportunities
  • open an avenue

All right, so for the episode, let's open with Noctua.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • They're opening up a special wing.

  • The chaplain of the day will open the exercises with a prayer.

  • OK, so it is time to open the Dream Bag.

  • Hey, I think we should open the episode with that.

  • We wanted to open a bar, not whatever this is!

  • My people, at this time, I need you to open your hearts and your minds.

  • A new public exhibit at the refuge is expected to open in fall 2011.

    Academic text (2011)
  • All right, Taco Bell opened with five food items.

  • The curators of TEDx Houston asked me to open their first event.

  • Satchmo at the Waldorf, his first play, opened in September in Orlando, Florida.

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

to start
vsto open
1.0

To begin an action, event or process

is the same sense but used often for events activities and businesses
to begin
vsto open
1.0

To start an activity, event, or speech

is applied to events activities or businesses rather than formal launches
to open up
vsto open
143 3.4

Begin to work and serve customers, like a shop or theater

is the general verb for initiating events activities or businesses
to kick off
vsto open
129 3.5

To start an event or activity, often officially

is used for ordinary first action rather than ceremonial launch
to start up
vsto open
16 3.2

To begin a new business or project

is broader, covering events and activities as well as businesses

Antonyms

1.0

To stop something or make it finish

1.0

To shut something so it is not open

1.0

To finish an event, meeting, or activity

324 3.6

To stop or come to an end

Idioms

104 2.5

In public and not hidden so other people can see or hear

Watch carefully for danger or a chance

open arms
  • Informal
33 2.8

A warm, eager welcome

To avoid choosing now so other choices remain

Stay half awake and watch for danger while you sleep because you are afraid

4 3.7

Stay alert to hear useful news or information

4 7.7

To create many unexpected problems that are hard to control

eyes wide open
  • Informal
3 4.3

To act while fully aware of possible risks

3 3.7

Make someone understand something they did not know before

3 7.4

Create a difficult situation with many unexpected problems

1 9.9

To attack or punish someone suddenly and violently, often for something they did

to open the kimono
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To show a company's private information to others, often during business talks

Acting while fully aware of what could go wrong

To not pay attention and miss what is happening around you, for example because you are daydreaming

Waste effort arguing about something everyone already agrees with

To try to make something happen when it is already easy or people already agree

To cause a lot of trouble and anger among people

Create new ways to make progress or grow

open sesame
  • Literature
8.6

A magic word that gives easy access or success

Phrasal Verbs

207 3.7

Make something available for people to use

to open up
  • Informal
149 2.9

Begin to talk honestly about your thoughts and feelings

143 3.4

Begin to work and serve customers, like a shop or theater

115 4.1

Start shooting at people or things with a gun

64 2.5

Make something not closed, for example by removing a lock or cover

54 3.1

Leave an option available for later use

53 3.2

Give someone new chances to succeed

To delay a final decision so you can choose later

15 2.6

Open something like a bottle or box to get what is inside

14 3.7

Keep something available while you delay a final decision

13 2.1

To open something suddenly by force, for example a locked door or jar

To keep a chance open for the future

13 1.9

Make your mouth as wide as possible so a doctor or dentist can look inside

11 3.3

To open suddenly, often because of wind or force

Unwrap a gift to see what is inside

4 3.0

To move apart by itself suddenly because of surprise or gravity

3 3.7

To have the mouth or jaw suddenly fall open because of surprise

2 4.3

Start attacking someone strongly by shooting or with strong words

To start suddenly and strongly, like an argument or a strong feeling

to blow wide open
  • Literature
1 6.5

To make a secret suddenly become known

1 2.3

To create a new browser tab so you can view another web page without leaving the current page

Open something so it makes a small sharp sound

1 4.6

Pull a door quickly and hard to open it

3.2

Leave a web page open to check it often

To be willing to think about new ideas and different views

9.5

To start a cricket team's batting as one of the first two batters

Compounds

127 2.3

Completely open and available with nothing stopping access

open-source
  • Specialized
51 3.7

Software that has code anyone can read, change, and share

35 2.7

An event when people are invited to visit and feel welcome

22 3.9

An event where people take turns performing music, poetry, or comedy

18 3.8

Very clear and easy to decide or solve

17 1.1

Completely open with nothing closed or covering it

open letter
  • Literature
16 4.0

A letter written to one person but published for everyone to read to make people notice a problem

open-heart surgery
  • Specialized
16 4.4

An operation where doctors open the chest to operate on the heart

15 1.2

A large area of land without buildings or trees used for play

open book
  • Informal
12 3.5

A person whose feelings and thoughts are easy to understand

12 4.1

A time when an activity is allowed, often for hunting or fishing

11 2.1

Taking place outside and not under a roof

9 4.3

Not strictly controlled, so illegal things can happen

A conversation where people share ideas honestly without holding back

8 1.0

Outside in a place that is not covered

8 3.3

A practice of letting people come in and speak freely to leaders

7 6.2

A marriage in which both partners allow each other to have sex with other people

open society
  • Formal
6 5.1

A community where people can speak freely, join groups, and vote

open secret
  • Informal
6 4.0

Something people try to hide but many already know

5 4.3

An agreement to get goods or services now and pay later

open primary
  • Literature
5 6.4

An early election before the main vote where any registered voter can vote for candidates of only one party

open fracture
  • Specialized
3 5.4

A broken bone that sticks out through a cut in the skin

3 7.2

A way to let many countries trade equally with one country, used for China in the late 1800s

Anyone is welcome to join or take part

A market that takes place outdoors where stalls sell food and other goods

1 3.5

A British university that offers part-time online and distance courses for adults, often without usual entry rules

1 4.1

A room with few dividing walls that makes one big space

open circuit
  • Specialized
1 4.6

A broken electrical path that stops electric current

A way of letting people talk freely to those in charge

A space in a wall where you make an open fire to heat or cook in a room

open frame
  • Jargon
1 7.1

A frame in which a player fails to knock down all the pins with two rolls

open shop
  • Jargon
1 5.2

A workplace where workers do not have to join a union or pay its fees

open weave
  • Specialized
1 4.5

A fabric with threads placed far apart so small holes let light and air through

A shirt with the top button undone at the neck

A way of allowing foreign companies to trade on the same terms as local companies

open-angle glaucoma
  • Specialized
1 5.2

A common eye disease that slowly reduces side vision when eye fluid cannot drain

A piece of bread with toppings and no top slice

open chain
  • Specialized
7.2

A chain of atoms in a molecule whose ends do not join to make a ring

open interval
  • Specialized
8.2

A set of numbers between two points that does not include the end points

A single slice of bread with toppings served without a top slice

open order
  • Specialized
8.0

Soldiers standing with wide spaces between ranks so an officer can walk between them for inspection

open sight
  • Specialized
7.3

A simple part on a gun with an open notch for aiming

open vowel
  • Specialized
5.7

A vowel sound made with the tongue low in the mouth

open syllable
  • Specialized
5.3

A syllable that ends with a vowel sound and usually has a long vowel

An outdoor place where people sell food and crafts

open-class word
  • Specialized
7.4

A type of word that often gets new words, like nouns and verbs

A warm, friendly welcome that makes guests feel wanted

A warm welcome you give by opening your arms to hold someone

open-end credit
  • Specialized
6.2

A borrowing plan that lets you borrow up to a set limit and use it again as you repay

open-end fund
  • Specialized
6.9

A company that sells and buys shares directly at their daily price

8.1

A company that sells and buys back shares any time at a price based on its assets

open-end wrench
  • Specialized
4.5

A tool with two flat open jaws that grip nuts or bolts

open-hearth
  • Archaic
9.5

Steel that people make by heating iron in a large furnace

8.1

A large hot oven that makes steel by heating metal on a shallow bed with flames above

8.2

A way of making steel by melting iron and scrap metal in a large open furnace

How Formal

to inaugurate
  • Formal
32 6.3
to launch
504 3.7
to open
1.0
to kick off
129 3.5
to start
1.0

Surface Forms

open infinitive
opened past
opened past participle
opening present participle
opens third person singular

Etymology

Open as a verb also grew from the idea of making a place not closed, so starting an event is like opening a room or curtain to begin. That is why to open a ceremony or meeting means to start it.