open season on

Idioms

A period of unrestrained criticism or attack on something or someone, as in During an election year it's open season on all officeholders. This expression alludes to the period during which one may legally hunt or fish. [Colloquial; c. 1900]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“The real loser here is Intel, as it is now open season on all of its main product lines,” Windsor said, pointing to both its personal-computer and data-center chips.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 18, 2026

The Council’s refusal to comment has made it open season on speculation and rumors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

"It cannot be open season on our elected officials."

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2024

For such defense matters to us because it keeps peace and prevents open season on would-be aggressors and threatens our prosperity.

From New York Times • Feb. 8, 2023

For weeks it had been open season on the eighth grade president, but he hung in there.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023