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.

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open letter British  

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• open-letter
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of open letter

First recorded in 1875–80

Example Sentences

Zelensky sent an open letter calling for a direct negotiations, writing that it would be "wrong to simply wait" for the conflict to once again become the focus of US attention.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

At the height of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 she penned an open letter titled "An inconvenient truth" to then-Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden reflecting on her experiences fighting systemic racism.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

The situation is bad enough that nine U.S. trade associations sent an open letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Wednesday, calling for measures to ease the memory-chip shortage.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

An open letter cites “severe preparation deficits” among incoming students.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

“A letter from your mother,” he said waving the open letter.

From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya