leave open
Idioms-
Keep undecided or unscheduled, as in We don't know how much fabric will be needed; let's leave that open , or The doctor leaves Fridays open for consultation . This expression uses open in the sense of “undetermined,” a usage dating from the mid-1500s.
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leave oneself open . Remain vulnerable to; also, remain willing to consider. For example, Her actions left her open to widespread criticism , or I left myself open to further suggestions about how to proceed . Also see under lay open .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They leave open the possibility of using tariffs to reduce critical dependencies in areas such as minerals, pharmaceutical ingredients or semiconductors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Voluntary departure avoids official deportation and can leave open the possibility of an immigrant returning to the U.S. legally.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026
Successive governments have kept the material to leave open the option to recycle it into new nuclear fuel.
From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2025
Ballerina Farm opts out of all that because its creators can afford to, even as they leave open the question of whether this life is truly what its namesake creator wants.
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2024
Whether or no it is even desirable that their efforts should be crowned with success we will also leave open.
From Woman Her Sex and Love Life by Robinson, William J.
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.
