Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for

opening

[ oh-puh-ning ]

noun

  1. an act or instance of making or becoming open:

    The opening of the tomb gathered much publicity.

    Antonyms:

  2. the act of a person or thing that opens:

    Her opening of the ceremony was brilliantly handled.

  3. an unobstructed or unoccupied space or place:

    That narrow opening between buildings is a good place to shelter from the rain.

  4. a void in solid matter; a gap, hole, or aperture:

    There was a little opening in the door they used as a peephole.

    Synonyms: , , , , , , ,

  5. a tract of land thinly wooded as compared with adjoining forest tracts.
  6. the act of beginning; start; commencement:

    Tomorrow is the opening of a new session of Congress.

  7. the first part or initial stage of anything:

    During the opening, the store had extra late hours.

  8. an employment vacancy; an unfilled position or job:

    There are no openings for waitstaff at the moment.

  9. an opportunity; chance.
  10. a formal or official beginning, as of a sport season or a season's sale of goods:

    Today marks the opening of the deer-hunting season.

    Swimsuits sold well at the summer opening.

  11. the first performance of a theatrical production.
  12. the first public showing or use of something:

    It's rare for there to be so many journalists at the opening of an art exhibition.

  13. a celebration of the first public showing or performance or of the first use or start of something:

    The new supermarket is going to give away prizes at its opening.

  14. Law. the statement of the case made by counsel to the court or jury preliminary to adducing evidence.
  15. a mode of beginning a game:

    a manual of chess openings.



adjective

  1. first, inaugural, commencing, or beginning:

    The opening chapter of the book caught my attention immediately.

opening

/ ˈəʊəɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of making or becoming open
  2. a vacant or unobstructed space, esp one that will serve as a passageway; gap
  3. a tract in a forest in which trees are scattered or absent
  4. the first part or stage of something
    1. the first performance of something, esp a theatrical production
    2. ( as modifier )

      the opening night

  5. a specific or formal sequence of moves at the start of any of certain games, esp chess or draughts
  6. an opportunity or chance, esp for employment or promotion in a business concern
  7. law the preliminary statement made by counsel to the court or jury before adducing evidence in support of his case
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Other Word Forms

  • ···Բ adjective
  • -··Բ adjective
  • ܲ···Բ adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of opening1

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English; open ( def ) + -ing 1( def )
Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The president has moved quickly and with little regard for the law in the opening months of his second term, implementing questionably legal programs and outright ignoring the rebukes of the courts.

From

To me, this is such a beautiful example of how appreciating nature creates a positive ripple effect, opening your heart to so many other things, which we need now.

From

In June 1973, during the opening days of the Senate Watergate Hearings, John Dean revealed the list of "enemies," which had by then expanded to a file "several inches thick."

From

The Rose Field refers to a magnetic or gravitational field, and was mentioned in the opening chapters of Northern Lights, when scholars at Lyra's Oxford college secretly discussed a mysterious phenomenon called Dust.

From

Washington’s appearances are the first of many events leading to the grand opening of the building in April 2026.

From

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


open housingopening night