open ocean

noun

: an area of ocean that is far from land
fish caught in the open ocean

Examples of open ocean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Iran struck back with missiles and drones and began attacking commercial ships in the waters around the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula that connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. — Brian C. Black, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026 Before aircraft flew across the Atlantic, our records almost certainly missed hurricanes over the open ocean. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 6 Oct. 2026 Such direct observations can be detailed, but they are often limited to near-coastal regions and unevenly distributed, while many of the most important stages of hurricane development occur over the open ocean where direct observations are sparse. — Chanh Kieu, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026 If the United States moves ahead with mining in open ocean areas, countries that have signed on to international laws restricting extraction, including China, India, and Russia, will likely cry foul. — Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for open ocean

Rhymes for open ocean

See All Rhymes for open ocean

Browse Nearby Words

open note
open ocean
open one's doors
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Open ocean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20ocean. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All