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Meaning & use

open up

verb·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌəʊpən ˈʌp/
US/ˌoʊpən ˈʌp/

Meanings

  1. verbphrasal verb

    To start talking more honestly about your private thoughts or feelings.

    Grammar: No object; often followed by to or about: she opened up to her friend.

    Patterns

    • open up to someone
    • open up about something

    It took months before he opened up to his therapist.

    She finally opened up about her fear of flying.

    Children often open up more at bedtime.

  2. verbphrasal verb

    To make something available or accessible, or to make it possible.

    Grammar: Takes an object, which can sit before or after up: open up the market, or open the market up.

    Patterns

    • open something up
    • open up something to someone

    The new bridge opened up the island to tourists.

    A degree can open up many job options.

    The company hopes to open up markets in Asia.

  3. verbphrasal verbinformal

    To unlock or begin business for the day, or to make a shut container or door open.

    Grammar: Can take an object or not: open up the shop, or the store opens up at nine.

    Patterns

    • open something up

    She opens up the café at six every morning.

    Open up, it's the delivery driver!

    He opened up the box and checked everything inside.

  4. verbphrasal verb

    To become possible or available.

    Grammar: No object; used with chances, gaps or paths: a path opened up.

    Patterns

    • a gap opens up
    • opportunities open up

    A gap opened up in the defense and he scored.

    New opportunities opened up after she learned Spanish.

    A crack opened up in the ceiling.

Word forms

third person singularopens up
past tenseopened up
past participleopened up
-ing formopening up

Common combinations

open up to someone
He found it hard to open up to strangers.
open up about something
She opened up about her childhood in an interview.
open up opportunities
Learning to code can open up opportunities.
open up a market
The treaty opened up a market for farmers.
open up the shop
They open up the shop at nine.
open up a gap
The runner opened up a gap in the final lap.

Synonyms and how they differ

confide
Confide means telling a secret to a trusted person, but open up is broader and can describe becoming generally less guarded.
unlock
Unlock suggests removing a barrier to a new possibility, which is the more figurative side of open up.
disclose
Disclose is formal and means to reveal information, not to relax emotionally.
loosen up
Loosen up suggests becoming relaxed and less stiff, though not necessarily more honest.

Opposites

clam upclose offshut down

Word family

opening noun
a gap, a beginning, or a vacancy
open adjective
not closed; honest and receptive
openness noun
the quality of being honest or receptive
openly adverb
without hiding anything

Commonly confused: open up or open?

open up vs open

Open alone can simply mean to unfasten, but open up often adds the idea of honesty or of creating new possibilities.

Practice

After weeks of quiet, Mia finally ______ about how lonely she felt at school.

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