freely available for use or participation by all
the lanes at the bowling alley will be open during the afternoon, but will be available only for league play in the evening
How does the adjective open contrast with its synonyms?
Some common synonyms of open are exposed, liable, prone, sensitive, subject, and susceptible. While all these words mean "being by nature or through circumstances likely to experience something adverse," open stresses a lack of barriers preventing incurrence.
a claim open to question
When could exposed be used to replace open?
The words exposed and open can be used in similar contexts, but exposed suggests lack of protection or powers of resistance against something actually present or threatening.
exposed to infection
When can liable be used instead of open?
While in some cases nearly identical to open, liable implies a possibility or probability of incurring something because of position, nature, or particular situation.
liable to get lost
When would prone be a good substitute for open?
While the synonyms prone and open are close in meaning, prone stresses natural tendency or propensity to incur something.
prone to delay
When might sensitive be a better fit than open?
The words sensitive and open are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sensitive implies a readiness to respond to or be influenced by forces or stimuli.
unduly sensitive to criticism
When is subject a more appropriate choice than open?
In some situations, the words subject and open are roughly equivalent. However, subject implies an openness for any reason to something that must be suffered or undergone.
all reports are subject to review
When is it sensible to use susceptible instead of open?
The meanings of susceptible and open largely overlap; however, susceptible implies conditions existing in one's nature or individual constitution that make incurrence probable.
very susceptible to flattery
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of open
Verb
The production was scheduled to open at London’s Barbican Centre next summer.—
Jack Irvin,
PEOPLE,
7 Aug. 2026 Quick-access lockboxes can allow the owner to open a locked weapon in seconds.—Chicago Tribune,
7 Aug. 2026
Adjective
Some American companies offer open-weight models, but the most popular are from China.—
Hadas Gold,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2026 The resource remains open throughout the school year because classroom needs don't stop after August.—
Tori Mason,
CBS News,
6 Aug. 2026
Noun
This conflict erupts into the open when a local Christian church suddenly goes up in flames.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
30 July 2026 There will be a window open for espresso or to grab a pound of noodles to take home.—
David Hochman,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for open
New York — More than 900 million SpaceX shares are set to unlock Thursday, more than doubling the publicly available stock in Elon Musk’s space and AI company, which has struggled since its record-breaking IPO just weeks ago.
—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2026
Simply sign up for a free Rue La La account to unlock the savings.
Start the conversation, suggest the class, or invite someone into a plan that expands the room.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Aug. 2026
South Africa's utility, Eskom, plans to develop a 1-gigawatt solar manufacturing facility to capture more value from its fast-expanding solar market and respond to changing electricity demand.
Start with the practical fix that frees attention for what matters next.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Aug. 2026
Where previous generations tended to stall partway, the model could carry a researcher's experiment through to the end, freeing them to run more at once.
Attacks could draw retaliation and reignite Yemen’s war Yemen’s civil war began in 2014 when the rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of northern Yemen, forcing the government into exile.
—
Fatma Khaled,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Aug. 2026
Insider tip Follow the paths through the lavender fields at sunset, when the bees begin to settle and the fields catch the last of the ethereal light.
Not all pads are alike, but a footprint on the larger side involves five to ten acres of cleared, packed ground that serves as the hub for drilling equipment, which can include wellheads, pump jacks, tanks, wastewater storage pits, trailers, and flare stacks.
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