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Synonyms

open door

American  

noun

  1. the policy of admitting people of all nationalities or ethnic groups to a country upon equal terms, as for immigration.

  2. the policy or practice of trading with all nations on an equal basis.

  3. admission or access; unrestricted opportunity.

    His experience had given him an open door to success in his field.


open door British  

noun

  1. a policy or practice by which a nation grants opportunities for trade to all other nations equally

  2. free and unrestricted admission

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. open to all; accessible

  2. (in industrial relations) designating a policy of management being prepared to talk to workers in the office at any time

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • open-door adjective

Etymology

Origin of open door

First recorded in 1520–30

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.

“We’re asking for accessibility, not an open door to cause harm.”

From Salon

"It's important we play the players based on their skillsets and that they fit into our system. Our job is to support them and open doors whenever we can."

From BBC

He apparently accompanied Mountbatten-Windsor on some of his international, taxpayer-funded trips as a trade envoy, using his Chinese connections to open doors.

From BBC

“That doesn’t suddenly make this market affordable for everyone, but it does crack open doors that had firmly shut when rates peaked.”

From MarketWatch

Above its huge open doors was a sign in big blue letters that said, “Eubanks Wagon Yard—Fifty Cents for Teams—Twenty-five Cents for Feed.”

From Literature