as in key
something that allows someone to achieve a desired goal
it turned out that a simple "please" was the open sesame for charming the hotel manager into giving us a room with a better view
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of open sesame
For something cozy, but not basic: Ask Rabble Coffee for an open sesame: a latte with tahini, dates, orange, cinnamon and chili pepper.
—
Arika Herron, Axios, 10 Sep. 2024
But is an ‘Alexandria in the cloud’ really an open sesame?
—Susan Tallman, The New York Review of Books, 1 Dec. 2023
Arika Herron, Axios, 10 Sep. 2024
But is an ‘Alexandria in the cloud’ really an open sesame?
—Susan Tallman, The New York Review of Books, 1 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for open sesame
Noun
-
The key is low heat to begin with and a good splash of water in there.—
Bon Appétit,
Bon Appétit,
15 Jan. 2025
-
The key is balance — don’t sacrifice your family or your well-being for your reputation.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
15 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Producers thinking of putting on an Arthur Miller are more likely to go for the tragedies because that’s what he’s known for and those are what have sold tickets in the past.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
25 Jan. 2025
-
My kids and their friends are really desperate to get a ticket because that’s a generation that has never seen the Gallagher brothers on stage together.—
Billboard Italy,
Billboard,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Immediately after the Voyager returned its first images of Saturn's strange feature, even stranger theories arose to explain it, including that it was somehow related to alien technology, or perhaps even was a gateway to hell.—
Ailsa Harvey,
Space.com,
17 Jan. 2025
-
The city is the gateway to Puglia’s Salento peninsula, which is known for fantastic beaches on both the Adriatic and Ionian seas.—
Laura Itzkowitz,
AFAR Media,
15 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near open sesame
Cite this Entry
“Open sesame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open%20sesame. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share