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PlainSpell

open

o·pen/ˈoʊ.pən/adjective, verb, noun

open is spelled O-P-E-N: 4 letters and 2 syllables (o·pen). It appears 302 times per million words in written English, the 316th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, open means “Able to have something pass through or along it” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).

How many letters and syllables are in open?

Letters4: O-P-E-N
Syllables2: o·pen
In writing302 times per million words; the 316th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search
Rhymes with
Same letters

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.

How common is open?

Open appears 302 times per million words in written English, the 316th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce open?

  • UK /ˈəʊ.pən/
  • /ˈɒ.pɪn/
  • US /ˈoʊ.pən/

Open has 2 syllables, split o·pen in writing.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-uk-to_open.ogg, En-us-open.ogg, En-au-open.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

What rhymes with open?

One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as open from its last stressed vowel (/oʊpən/):

Spelled with the same letters in another order: nope, peon, pone, nepo.

Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).

Forms of open

  • more open comparative
  • opener comparative
  • most open superlative
  • openest superlative
  • opens present, singular, he/she/it, plural
  • opening participle, present
  • opened participle, past, singular, he/she/it, plural

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does open mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

adjective

  1. 1

    Able to have something pass through or along it.

    Come in – the door's open.

  2. 2

    Not covered, sealed, etc.; having an opening or aperture showing what is inside.

    The jewellery box was lying open.

  3. 3

    Not physically drawn together, folded or contracted.

    She greeted them with open arms.

  4. 4

    Of a space, free of objects and obstructions.

    It was a large, open room.

  5. 5

    Resulting from an incision, puncture or any other process by which the skin no longer protects an internal part of the body.

    an open fracture

  6. 6

    proscribedUnlocked or unlatched but not physically open.

  7. 7

    In a position allowing fluid to flow.

  8. 8

    Of a sandwich, etc.: composed of a single slice of bread with a topping.

    open sandwich

verb

  1. 1

    To make or become accessible or clear for passage by moving from a shut position.

    Turn the doorknob to open the door.

  2. 2

    To make or become clear by removal of objects and obstructions, so as to allow passage, access, or visibility.

    The icebreaker opened the channel.

  3. 3

    To unseal or uncover, or become unsealed or uncovered.

    You can open your eyes now!

  4. 4

    To spread; to expand into a wider or looser position.

    to open a closed fist

  5. 5

    To make (a bed) ready for a patient by folding back the bedcovers.

  6. 6

    To reveal one's hand.

    Jeff opens his hand revealing a straight flush.

  7. 7

    To move to a position allowing fluid to flow.

  8. 8

    To angle (a club, bat or other hitting implement) upwards and/or (for a right-hander) clockwise of straight.

noun

  1. 1

    Open or unobstructed space; an exposed location.

    I can't believe you left the lawnmower out in the open when you knew it was going to rain this afternoon!

  2. 2

    Public knowledge or scrutiny; full view.

    We have got to bring this company's corrupt business practices into the open.

  3. 3

    A defect in an electrical circuit preventing current from flowing.

    The electrician found the open in the circuit after a few minutes of testing.

  4. 4

    A sports event in which anybody can compete, especially or originally irrespective of amateur or professional status.

    the Australian Open

  5. 5

    The act of something being opened, such as an e-mail message.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Open in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchouvert (not closed), ouvrir (to make something accessible), s'ouvrir (to become open), plein air (open space), (mettre qch au) grand jour (public knowledge; (to bring into) the open), faux contact (broken wire)
Germanauf, offen, offe, offä (not closed), öffnen (to make something accessible), geöffnet (prepared to conduct business)
Portugueseaberto (not closed), abrir (to make something accessible), iniciar, começar (to start (a campaign))
Spanishabierto (not closed), abrir, descorrer (to make something accessible), open (sports event)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does open come from?

Adjective from Middle English open, from Old English open (“open”), from Proto-West Germanic *opan, from Proto-Germanic *upanaz (“open”), from Proto-Indo-European *upo (“up from under, over”).

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after open