OPEN-AND-SHUT Synonyms: 111 Similar and Opposite Words

open-and-shut

adjective

ˈō-pən-ən(d)-ˈshət

Definition of open-and-shut

as in obvious

not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation an open-and-shut case of robbery

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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 open-and-shut Her payments were spotty, the lawyer said, but overall, the case had been open-and-shut. — Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 18 Mar. 2026 Lamar Jackson makes that an open-and-shut case. — Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 6 Jan. 2026 As the years wore on, police and prosecutors released no updates to the public on why a case presented as open-and-shut was taking so long to reach a jury. — Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 24 Dec. 2025 The killings initially appeared to be an open-and-shut case of murder-suicide, at the hands of Jeremy’s sister, Sheila. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for open-and-shut

Recent Examples of Synonyms for open-and-shut

Adjective

These reveal problems that might not be obvious in the short term, such as liver damage, as well as underlying conditions that could turn minor issues into something serious.

— Amy Maxmen, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
If there are lessons from the 2025 wave of crypto IPOs, the most obvious is that investors should proceed with caution.

— Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of obvious

Adjective

The Trying star is leading The Death of Sherlock Holmes, which fills the gap between the detective’s apparent death at the Reichenbach Falls in 1891 and his reappearance in The Adventure of the Empty House three years later.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
Investigators with the city of Douglas, Georgia have released the identities of the five adults killed in an apparent murder-suicide last week.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of apparent

Adjective

The resulting songs are refreshingly straightforward, and self-aware about it.

— Samuel Hyland, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
Giving Americans $1,000 or $5,000 invested in a technology index is a straightforward idea; The source and use of the funds will likely be of great debate.

— Sarah Cannon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of straightforward

Adjective

Down the block, Curtis walked around his neighborhood with the unmistakable countenance of someone who had just survived a disaster.

— Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 17 Oct. 2026
The brass, the percussion, the unmistakable sound of banda, all carrying a piece of home.

— Luzdelia Caballero, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of unmistakable

Adjective

The brasserie has Provençal leanings evident in a few of the menu’s flourishes—crisp triangular panisses with a garlicky aioli, a pinky-peach sauce algérienne for dipping your fries.

— Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
And something more substantial, even, than the ongoing oddity of just where Washington Square Park fits into the scheme of things as it’s gone from an evident linchpin of the project to an apparent afterthought.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of evident

Adjective

That experience is backed up by research and investigations in various states, which make clear that voting by noncitizens is extremely rare.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
Unequivocally condemn these acts of violence and issue a clear appeal for every mobilization to be peaceful.

— Tyler Speicher, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of clear

Adjective

Coleman said each design has its own distinct character and can be styled individually, either as a subtle everyday detail or a sculptural statement.

— Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Scientists have performed cosmic genealogy on planetary systems in the Milky Way, finding two distinct families that influence the evolution and fate of these systems.

— Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of distinct

Browse Nearby Words

open air

open-and-shut

open arms

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“Open-and-shut.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open-and-shut. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of open-and-shut

adjective

Example Sentences

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