wide-open
adjective
opened to the full extent.
wide-open
American
[wahyd-oh-puhn]
/ ˈwaɪdˈoʊ pən /
adjective
-
opened to the full extent.
a wide-open window.
-
lacking laws or strict enforcement of laws concerning liquor, vice, gambling, etc..
a wide-open town.
wide-open
British
adjective
-
open to the full extent
-
(postpositive) exposed to attack; vulnerable
-
uncertain as to outcome
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informal (of a town or city) lax in the enforcement of certain laws, esp those relating to the sale and consumption of alcohol, gambling, the control of vice, etc
wide open
Idioms
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Unresolved, unsettled, as in The fate of that former colony is still wide open . [Mid-1900s]
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Unprotected or vulnerable, as in That remark about immigrants left him wide open to hostile criticism . This expression originated in boxing, where it signifies being off one's guard and open to an opponent's punches. It began to be used more broadly about 1940. Also see leave open .
Etymology
Origin of wide-open
First recorded in 1850–55
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.
That resilience has been demonstrated by all four semi-finalists, who have seized their chance in a wide-open draw in Paris.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026
Barring injury or a calamitous upset, Sinner and his suspense-draining form now have a wide-open runway to his fifth major title, which would put him ahead of Djokovic or Roger Federer at the same age.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
Their hot streak is timing up perfectly with their most wide-open title window since they last made the NBA Finals in 1999.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
Fittingly, Madden tossed the go-ahead touchdown pass from near the logo to a wide-open Kenneth Moore III, putting his blue team up 24-17, the eventual final score.
From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2026
He made his move, quickly tapping the ball into an open space to his right: he had a wide-open shot.
From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
