opening

[ oh-puh-ning ]

noun

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.

adjective

1. first, inaugural, commencing, or beginning:

   The opening chapter of the book caught my attention immediately.

opening

/ 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

Other Words From

• pre·o·pen·ing adjective
• self-o·pen·ing adjective
• un·o·pen·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of opening¹

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

Example Sentences

And yes, he’s put in time since then on the road as an opening act for more established country stars such as Morgan Wallen and Cole Swindell.

From Los Angeles Times

Some tenant advocates feared that by opening up existing multifamily areas to significant new development, it would cause a wave of displacement as existing buildings are knocked down.

From Los Angeles Times

One idea that has "massively taken off" is Inside, which launched in June on YouTube and racked up 14 millions of views for its opening episode.

From BBC

But if you listen to the score, right from the opening moments composer Umberto Smerilli makes a bold declaration about what kind of movie it is: nervy, tempestuous, winking and just a little bit melodramatic.

From Los Angeles Times

The new method can also be utilized for observing and preserving 3D biological structures that are typically difficult to study in soil, opening new opportunities for research in plant and fungal biology.

From Science Daily

Related Words

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