open
adjective · verb · noun
Simple meaning
Not closed, so people or things can go in, out or through.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
ohpuhnSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈoʊpən
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
usually not comparable
Physically unobstructed, uncovered, etc.
Not physically drawn together, folded or contracted.
Able to have something pass through or along it.
Not covered, sealed, etc.; having an opening or aperture showing what is inside.
Of a space, free of objects and obstructions.
Able to be used or interacted with in some way.
verb
Spread out or open from a closed or folded state
To make or become physically unobstructed, uncovered, etc.
transitiveintransitive
To make or become accessible or clear for passage by moving from a shut position.
Afford access to
“The door opens to the patio.”
transitiveintransitive
To make or become clear by removal of objects and obstructions, so as to allow passage, access, or visibility.
transitiveintransitive
To unseal or uncover, or become unsealed or uncovered.
noun
The act of something being opened, such as an e-mail message.
in the definite
Public knowledge or scrutiny; full view.
A sports event in which anybody can compete, especially or originally irrespective of amateur or professional status.
in the definite
Open or unobstructed space; an exposed location.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner (estimated)
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Word Aura is being prepared for this meaning.
More ways to use open
- “He opened the meeting with a long speech.”verb
- “The door opens to the patio.”verb
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
An open or empty space in or between things.
Used of mouth or eyes.
The first event in a series.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
Without obstructions to passage or view.
In an open way.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A chain of atoms in a molecule whose ends are not joined to form a ring.
An incomplete electrical circuit in which no current flows.
A word to which an independent meaning can be assigned.
The policy of granting equal trade opportunities to all countries.
The policy of granting equal trade opportunities to all countries.
A consumer credit line that can be used up to a certain limit or paid down at any time.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
The mining of ore or coal from an open mine.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.