opening

American  

[oh-puh-ning] / ˈoʊ pə nɪŋ /

noun

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

   The opening of the tomb gathered much publicity.

   Antonyms:

   closing

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:

   rent, fissure, cleft, chasm, rift, breach, slit, orifice

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.

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adjective

1. first, inaugural, commencing, or beginning.

   The opening chapter of the book caught my attention immediately.

opening British  

/ ˈəʊpənɪŋ /

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

5. 1. the first performance of something, esp a theatrical production

   2. ( as modifier )

      the opening night

6. a specific or formal sequence of moves at the start of any of certain games, esp chess or draughts

7. an opportunity or chance, esp for employment or promotion in a business concern

8. law the preliminary statement made by counsel to the court or jury before adducing evidence in support of his case

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Other Word Forms

• preopening
  adjective
• self-opening
  adjective
• unopening
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of opening

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

Explanation

An opening is an empty space. That opening in the back of your closet might lead to a secret room. A job opening, on the other hand, is an available job that could open you up to an entirely new career. There are openings in crowds you can slip through if you're in a hurry, and openings, or availabilities, in classes you really want to take. You can also use this versatile noun to mean the very first performance of a play or the initial night of an art show. Many things that come first are openings, in fact, like the opening move in a chess game or the opening scene of your novel.

Example Sentences

Chinese officials hosted Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday and called for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and a cease-fire in the Middle East.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

Shipping experts said that Project Freedom, which was announced on Sunday, had a limited impact in its opening hours, with only a handful of ships passing through the strait.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Within hours of his release from the hospital, he was back on streaming platform Kick and telling his followers he would be out at a nightclub that night to promote its grand opening.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Shares of Bloomin’ popped 36%, to $7.82, shortly after Wednesday’s opening bell.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

You hang from your knees, arms spread wide, opening yourself to the place that feels most like home.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

• commencement
• inauguration
• kickoff
• launch
• launching
• opener
• start