Showing results for "opening"

• present participle of open.

opening

American  

[oh-puh-ning] / ˈoʊ pə nɪŋ /

noun

openings plural

1. an act or instance of making or becoming open.

   The opening of the tomb gathered much publicity.

   Antonyms:

   closing

2. the act of a person or thing that opens.

   Her opening of the ceremony was brilliantly handled.

3. an unobstructed or unoccupied space or place.

   That narrow opening between buildings is a good place to shelter from the rain.

4. a void in solid matter; a gap, hole, or aperture.

   There was a little opening in the door they used as a peephole.

   Synonyms:

   rent, fissure, cleft, chasm, rift, breach, slit, orifice

5. a tract of land thinly wooded as compared with adjoining forest tracts.

6. the act of beginning; start; commencement.

   Tomorrow is the opening of a new session of Congress.

7. the first part or initial stage of anything.

   During the opening, the store had extra late hours.

8. an employment vacancy; an unfilled position or job.

   There are no openings for waitstaff at the moment.

9. an opportunity; chance.

10. a formal or official beginning, as of a sport season or a season's sale of goods.

    Today marks the opening of the deer-hunting season.

    Swimsuits sold well at the summer opening.

11. the first performance of a theatrical production.

12. the first public showing or use of something.

    It's rare for there to be so many journalists at the opening of an art exhibition.

13. a celebration of the first public showing or performance or of the first use or start of something.

    The new supermarket is going to give away prizes at its opening.

14. Law. the statement of the case made by counsel to the court or jury preliminary to adducing evidence.

15. a mode of beginning a game.

    a manual of chess openings.

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adjective

1. first, inaugural, commencing, or beginning.

   The opening chapter of the book caught my attention immediately.

opening British  

/ ˈəʊpənɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of making or becoming open

2. a vacant or unobstructed space, esp one that will serve as a passageway; gap

3. a tract in a forest in which trees are scattered or absent

4. the first part or stage of something

5. 1. the first performance of something, esp a theatrical production

   2. ( as modifier )

      the opening night

6. a specific or formal sequence of moves at the start of any of certain games, esp chess or draughts

7. an opportunity or chance, esp for employment or promotion in a business concern

8. law the preliminary statement made by counsel to the court or jury before adducing evidence in support of his case

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preopening
  adjective
• self-opening
  adjective
• unopening
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• openings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of opening

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English; open ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

An opening is an empty space. That opening in the back of your closet might lead to a secret room. A job opening, on the other hand, is an available job that could open you up to an entirely new career. There are openings in crowds you can slip through if you're in a hurry, and openings, or availabilities, in classes you really want to take. You can also use this versatile noun to mean the very first performance of a play or the initial night of an art show. Many things that come first are openings, in fact, like the opening move in a chess game or the opening scene of your novel.

Example Sentences

At the end of the delayed first round on Friday, Scheffler was joint 49th after opening with a two-over 72.

From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026

The buzz: Kylian Mbappé proved his fitness with a brace in France’s opening win over Senegal, giving him 14 World Cup goals, tied for fourth on the all-time list.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 21, 2026

There was delirium when they took an early lead against Germany in their opening game, but it would end in humiliation as the European giants eventually stuck seven past them.

From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026

The California Highway Patrol temporarily shut down all westbound lanes of the freeway, diverting traffic onto Irwindale Avenue, before opening up one lane.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2026

Upstairs we heard the sounds of doors opening and shutting, the scrape of furniture dragged from walls.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• commencement
• inauguration
• kickoff
• launch
• launching
• opener
• start