opens

verb

present tense third-person singular of open
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

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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

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 opens That hearing is two days before LSU — the one SEC team known to be interested in signing such players — opens its season against Clemson. — Seth Emerson, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026 This week, just steps from the garden, Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech (mYSLm), a 43,000-square-foot museum designed by the architectural firm Studio KO, opens its doors to the public. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026 The Athletics are on their way to Las Vegas via West Sacramento in 2028 when a new $2 billion ballpark on the Strip opens. — Barry M. Bloom, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 Silver City Cabaret The episode opens with Two Cups (James Jordan) and Randy (Austin Hébert) at a strip club. — Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Aug. 2026 Primary suite opens to garden The primary bedroom leans into indoor-outdoor living. — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026 The Cycle of Love by Oscar-winning filmmaker Orlando von Einsiedel (The White Helmets, The Lost Children, Evelyn, Virunga), executive produced by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, opens at the Angelika in NYC. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026 This front entry opens to a foyer that has an unobstructed view of the great room. — James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026 Friday night opens with the Ed Wagner Brass Band, an authentic German-style brass band. — Hank Beckman, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opens
  1. unlocks
  2. clears
  3. expands
  4. frees
  5. begins
  6. extends
  7. commences
  8. unfolds
Verb
  • For Anthropic, the deal unlocks additional future processing power ahead of the company’s planned IPO.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • For Kickstarter stretch goals, reaching $50,000 with 250 backers unlocks one additional filter for all backers, while $100,000 with 500 backers unlocks three.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of unlocks
Verb
  • Series 4000 clears endurance tests The Series 4000 earned certification after completing two 720-hour durability tests, demonstrating its ability to operate through extended autonomous missions.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • That clears the runway for Marc Jacobs, which G-III and partner WHP Global bought from LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton in a pair of deals that closed Tuesday and totaled roughly $925 million.
    — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of clears
Verb
  • Hydropower capacity expands China has continued adding hydropower capacity as part of its broader clean-energy expansion.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Based on the legend of the Chinese goddess Chang’e, this book reimagines and expands the myth to center her daughter, Xingyin, who flees her home and embarks on a bold adventure to save her mother while training in enemy territory.
    — Chloe Gong, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of expands
Verb
  • That frees the company up to try to build new monopolies in AI, and the current DOJ doesn’t seem very interested in standing in the way of Big Tech.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Scott allowed Elordi and Brolin to play with their dialogue and relationship and captured it all using four to six cameras at a time, an approach Scott says frees the actors up for happy accidents and helps give life to the humor.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of frees
Verb
  • Currently, free agency begins five days after the World Series, with no expiration on when players can sign.
    — Evan Drellich, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • That window begins either with their first year in college or the year following their 19th birthday, whichever comes first.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of begins
Verb
  • This effort extends beyond physical chip export controls, which have proven difficult to enforce, with new legislation like the Remote Access Security Act aiming to curb remote access.
    — John Werner, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The deal also extends the expiration date of non-refundable tax credits issued prior to 2025 by up to five years.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of extends
Verb
  • This tender novel of intimacy and its risks begins in Boston in 1969, as Eve, a dancer, commences an affair with a colleague—an indiscretion that spurs her husband, a journalist named Gabe, to cheat, too.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The Jet Set to the Beekman package commences with a Blade helicopter flight to Pier 11 in Lower Manhattan (from eligible departure points), where a house car will then take you to the Beekman’s West Turret penthouse.
    — Spencer Whaley, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of commences
Verb
  • The bigger fall foliage show typically unfolds in late September and can stretch into early October, depending on the year.
    — Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Watch as the action unfolds from East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, GA.
    — Data Skrive, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of unfolds

Browse Nearby Words

openness
opens
open secret
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Cite this Entry

“Opens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opens. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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