open letter

American  

noun

1. a letter, often of protest or criticism, addressed to a specific person, but intended to be brought to public attention.

---

open letter British  

noun

1. a letter, esp one of protest, addressed to a person but also made public, as through the press

---

Other Word Forms

• open-letter
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of open letter

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

open letter

They circulated inflated casualty figures in an open letter to Pope John Paul II and others.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

In an open letter to Belfast City Council, he accused it of a "total lack of planning, coordination and action" to address "an ongoing and worsening crisis".

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Her name as a possible presidential nominee was first put forward in an open letter signed by sixteen prominent Hungarians, including the inventor of the Rubik's Cube, Erno Rubik.

From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026

Jenner concluded the post with an open letter to MJ:

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026

It should, by all rights, be called the Farewell Letter, for it was in form and tone an open letter to the American people, telling them they were now on their own.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis