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

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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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for open sesame
Noun
  • The key would be not fully enclosing the track giving emissions and sound a place to go.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
  • The key lies not in fighting the block head-on, but in finding new pathways around it.
    JD Barker, Rolling Stone, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • The $4 game tickets set aside for the public went fast.
    Mike Klingaman, Baltimore Sun, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Plus, on most journeys, seniors save 10% on ticket costs—that means travelers 65 and over for qualifying domestic trips and ages 60 and up on cross-border expeditions.
    Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • And 'The Nutcracker' is really the gateway to other dance experiences.
    Nicole Cobler, Axios, 6 Dec. 2024
  • Serving as the gateway to the Olympic National Park, visitors and locals can enjoy picturesque hiking trials, bird watching, biking and much more.
    Emma Kershaw, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024

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 21 Dec. 2024.

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