open season

noun

1. a specific season or time of year when it is legal to catch or hunt for fish or game protected at all other times by the law.

2. a period of time in which a person or thing is exposed to criticism, attack, or recrimination.

   Election year is open season on all incumbents.

open season

noun

1. a specified period of time in the year when it is legal to hunt or kill game or fish protected at other times by law

2. (often foll by on) a time when criticism or mistreatment is common

   open season on women employees

Word History and Origins

Origin of open season¹

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

Example Sentences

The Republican-appointed justices have already declared open season on precedent they hate.

Read more on Slate

“There is something about this that is pivotal for us—it feels like open season on certain groups of people in this country,” Loudon proclaimed, as Bolling anticipated that liberals would blame the gun.

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“The brief is asking the Supreme Court to bless open season on anybody on Los Angeles who happens to be Latino.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It’s like declaring “open season” for racism — an invitation to discrimination.

Read more on Salon

Acevedo also worried about officers feeling emboldened to bend or break the rules in the current climate: “You don’t want to re-create the perception, real or not, that it’s open season for bad policing, because you’re going to have that small percentage that’re going to act on that belief that they’re not going to be held accountable.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times