opener

American  

[oh-puh-ner] / ˈoʊ pə nər /

noun

openers plural

1. a person or thing that opens.

2. a device for opening sealed containers.

   can opener.

3. the first of several theatrical numbers, variety acts, sports events, etc..

   a humorous monologue as an opener.

4. Poker. openers, cards in a hand, as a pair of jacks or better, that according to a given standard are worth enough to enable the holder to make the first bet of a deal.

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idioms

1. for openers, as an initially stated reason or argument; at the outset; to begin with.

   Well, for openers, I don't have the money.

opener British  

/ ˈəʊpənə /

noun

1. an instrument used to open sealed containers such as tins or bottles

   a bottle opener

2. a person who opens, esp the player who makes the first bid or play

3. the first or opening section or episode in a series

4. the first song, act, etc, in a variety show

5. (plural) a start; beginning (esp in the phrase for openers )

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-opener
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• openers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of opener

First recorded in 1540–50; open + -er ¹

Example Sentences

The pair continued to go toe-to-toe, but when the tie-break arrived it was Zverev who raised the intensity, whizzing through seven points without reply to take the opener.

From BBC • Jul. 10, 2026

This includes Dolan’s fronting of an embarrassing blues-rock band, often while sporting a fedora, and he inflicts his music on audiences by installing himself as the opener for acts like the Eagles.

From Salon • Jul. 8, 2026

His movement was hindered for the rest of the first set, particularly on serve, but he was helped on his way to taking the opener by a series of errors from the Canadian.

From BBC • Jul. 7, 2026

He scored twice in the opener against Paraguay before giving the U.S. the lead in its first knockout game against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026

And a can opener; it would be just her luck to forget the can opener.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt

Related Words

• birth
• creation
• dawn
• inauguration
• inception
• introduction
• onset
• opening
• outset
• starting point
• top