open marriage

American  

noun

1. a marriage in which the partners agree that each is free to have sexual relationships with other partners.

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open marriage British  

noun

1. a marriage in which the partners are free to pursue their own social and sexual lives

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Etymology

Origin of open marriage

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

As the pop melodies continue to ebb and flow, Allen reveals accusations of infidelity, the complications of being in an open marriage and mentions a pseudonym for a mistress on a track named “Madeline.”

From Los Angeles Times

Now he wants an open marriage and says I own nothing.

From MarketWatch

Her husband disappears for weeks on end, and Allen, or the character she is portraying, reluctantly accepts the conditions of an open marriage.

From BBC

Gaiman remains locked in a contentious custody battle with Palmer, with whom he once had an open marriage and divorced in 2022.

From Los Angeles Times

Read: In “More,” a memoir, Molly Roden Winter recounts the highs and lows of juggling an open marriage with work and child care.

From New York Times