First recorded in 1980–85
First recorded in 1985–90; open ( def. ) + carry ( def. )
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This the state cannot do; for most of American history, states banned concealed carry but permitted open carry.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2026
New Mexico is an open carry state, so the governor’s order affects anyone in Bernalillo County who can legally own a gun, with some exceptions.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 15, 2023
The state has a long history of allowing open carry of handguns in most public settings.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 10, 2023
Instead, lawmakers relaxed regulations, including allowing the open carry of handguns without a license or training.
From Salon ● Mar. 20, 2023
"De cellar door is open, carry it all in and put it in de back part and nobody ain't never going to know how long it has been in dar."
From The Lock and Key Library The most interesting stories of all nations: American by Hawthorne, Julian
People who live in jurisdictions with fewer than 200,000 residents, such as Baird and Gallardo, can apply for open-carry licenses from local law enforcement, but such licenses are also difficult to obtain.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2023
Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers were initially optimistic that they could agree on restrictions surrounding children and open-carry after a bipartisan group in the chamber proposed the limits last month.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 9, 2023
The dispatcher reportedly explained to her that Colorado was an open-carry state.
From New York Times ● Jan. 2, 2023
Even this fanatical open-carry gun website implores: “Don’t chase criminals.”
From Slate ● Jun. 21, 2022
At the time, California was an open-carry state with few gun restrictions.
From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2022
Similarly, the Senate ought to be able to consider preventing open-carried guns at government events without proceedings devolving.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 24, 2022
At a July 2020 Black Lives Matter protest, held in Austin on behalf of George Floyd, some protesters who'd already faced death threats were legally open-carrying guns.
From Salon ● Apr. 22, 2023
“But if it must be — and if you don’t feel comfortable, you know, I don’t know, open-carrying — ”
From New York Times ● Oct. 26, 2021
“If you are open-carrying, de-escalation is more challenging because at that point you are also a threat to anyone that you come up to,” Markinson said.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 16, 2020
Last week, several shoppers came across another customer open-carrying at the same Whole Foods while he picked out asparagus.
From Slate ● Jan. 21, 2016
“Obviously, the problem is that when the open-carrying citizen is on their way to commit a crime,” Burns said dryly, “we have limited our ability to respond quickly.”
From Washington Post
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
