open mic

American  

[oh-puhn mahyk] / ˈoʊ pən ˈmaɪk /

Or open mike

noun

1. a live show in a club, bar, etc., in which anyone may perform but each performer is given a time limit (often used attributively).

   an open mic night for stand-up comedians.

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Etymology

Origin of open mic

First recorded in 1975–80; open ( def. ) (in sense “in operation, live”) + mic ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

open mic

Bay rose to fame in 2014 after a video of him playing at a London open mic night led to him signing a record deal.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

This year, he’s been sitting in on open mic nights at the Clausen Museum, where performers entertain in a room filled with old cannery gear and a taxidermied 126.5-pound king salmon.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

“I think everybody should do an open mic once in their life because most people’s biggest fear is public speaking,” said Rodriguez.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

“Coming from an open mic night at a coffee house, never in my wildest dreams did I say, ‘Someday, a football stadium’ … we’re literally living our dreams right now.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 5, 2026

“An open mic at Busboys and Poets...it’s a bookstore that’s really close to here, if you want to check it out.”

From "Pride" by Ibi Zoboi

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