What does "opener" mean?
A person who opens something.
Opener
/ˈəʊ.pən.ə/ adj, noun, slang
adj, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person who opens something.
- Grammar: opener is listed as adj, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: apparatus, bottle opener, can opener, church key.
- Useful contrasts: closer, closing, coda.
- Usage evidence: I sometimes use scissors as a can opener.
How to use "opener"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "opener" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "opener" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "opener" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "opener" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "opener" is acting as adj, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "apparatus" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "opener", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person who opens something.
"Have you, like the opener of this debate, discovered, sapiently enough, that "the peace party, with Lord Aberdeen at their head, were the chief cause of the war"?"
- 2 a hand tool used for opening sealed containers (bottles or cans) wordnet
- 3 A device that opens something; specifically a tin-opener/can-opener, or a bottle opener.
- 4 the first event in a series wordnet
- 5 An establishment that opens. in-compounds
"The late-night openers in the mall include two restaurants and a clothing store."
Show 11 more definitions
- 6 a person who unfastens or unwraps or opens wordnet
- 7 The player who starts the betting.
- 8 Cards of sufficient value to enable a player to open the betting. in-plural
- 9 A person employed to separate sheets of hot metal that become stuck together.
- 10 The first act in a variety show or concert.
- 11 A batsman or bowler who normally plays in the first two positions of an innings.
- 12 The first in a series of events, items etc.; the first remark or sentence of a conversation. colloquial
- 13 The first game played in a competition.
"The opener came from a Jarvis ball which struck Aleksandar Kolarov en route to a lively round of pinball between City players before it was poked in by Milijas."
- 14 The first goal or point scored.
- 15 A period of time when it is legal to commercially fish.
- 16 A pitcher who specializes in getting the first outs of a game before being replaced, either by a long reliever or a pitcher who would normally start.
"The Rays debuted the opener—in which a reliever starts the game and throws anywhere from one to three innings, then gives way to a new pitcher, who will usually throw three to five as essentially a second starter—on May 19 against the Angels, using veteran righty Sergio Romo to pitch the first."
Adjective
- 1 comparative form of open: more open comparative, form-of
"The letter y is also used for the slightly opener non-fricative sound heard in English year."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"I sometimes use scissors as a can opener."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "opener"?
Common synonyms include: apparatus, bottle opener, can opener, church key, clavis, coming out.
How do you use "opener" in a sentence?
I sometimes use scissors as a can opener.
How do you pronounce "opener"?
Pronounced /ˈəʊ.pən.ə/.
Etymology
From open + -er.