Meaning & use

open up

phrase·Everyday

To become more communicative and honest about one's feelings, or to make something accessible or available.

See it in a sentence

It took months of therapy before he finally opened up about his childhood.

The new bridge opened up trade routes between the two distant regions.

A note on using this word

Open up is common for emotional honesty, as in opening up to someone, and separately for making a place or opportunity accessible.

Words with a similar meaning

revealdisclose

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

withhold

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “open up”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.