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
  • First, the competitors must dig through the sand to retrieve a key.
    Emma Sharpe, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Mills says the key is to just chalk it up to experience.
    Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • At the same time, voters across the United States chose to send Donald Trump back to the White House, NBC News projected, electing a presidential ticket that many advocates warned would be the worst in American history for trans people.
    Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
  • To register as well as secure a ticket to the Industry Insight Series and take advantage of pre-event pricing, click here.
    SJ Studio, Sourcing Journal, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • This bustling coastal city, a gateway to Africa, will enjoy 4 minutes and 48 seconds of totality.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Tangier Perched at the tip of Morocco, Tangier is the gateway to the country from Europe.
    Elle Benson Easton, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 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 Nov. 2024.

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