as in obvious
not subject to misinterpretation or more than one interpretation
an open-and-shut case of robbery
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Recent Examples of open-and-shut
Her payments were spotty, the lawyer said, but overall, the case had been open-and-shut.
—
Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 18 Mar. 2026
For what’s been characterized as an open-and-shut case, there are still a lot of questions about the slayings of Hollywood icon Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026
Lamar Jackson makes that an open-and-shut case.
—Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 6 Jan. 2026
As the years wore on, police and prosecutors released no updates to the public on why a case presented as open-and-shut was taking so long to reach a jury.
—Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 24 Dec. 2025
The killings initially appeared to be an open-and-shut case of murder-suicide, at the hands of Jeremy’s sister, Sheila.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
Especially after Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey, asked Tuesday afternoon to define Melvin’s status, declined to provide an open-and-shut answer.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
From the outset, this seemed like an open-and-shut case.
—Gemma Allen, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 18 Mar. 2026
For what’s been characterized as an open-and-shut case, there are still a lot of questions about the slayings of Hollywood icon Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026
Lamar Jackson makes that an open-and-shut case.
—Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 6 Jan. 2026
As the years wore on, police and prosecutors released no updates to the public on why a case presented as open-and-shut was taking so long to reach a jury.
—Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 24 Dec. 2025
The killings initially appeared to be an open-and-shut case of murder-suicide, at the hands of Jeremy’s sister, Sheila.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025
Especially after Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey, asked Tuesday afternoon to define Melvin’s status, declined to provide an open-and-shut answer.
—Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
From the outset, this seemed like an open-and-shut case.
—Gemma Allen, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for open-and-shut
Adjective
-
Besides their obvious beauty, wicker baskets are superior for storage (especially laundry), providing excellent ventilation that prevents mold and mildew from damaging your linens.—
Ashley Poskin,
Martha Stewart,
2 May 2026
-
Driving through this area of the West Bank, east of Ramallah, the expansion is obvious from the main roads.—
Molly Hunter,
NBC news,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Jayson Tatum also suffered an apparent calf injury, which is a major concern for a player just under a year removed from an Achilles injury.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
2 May 2026
-
Upon arrival, officers discovered a man in his 20s with apparent gunshot wounds.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
The answer is fairly straightforward.—
Gene Ludwig,
Fortune,
6 May 2026
-
The rules surrounding joint accounts and debt collection aren't always straightforward, either.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
But, rewatching the film 20 years later (March 31 was the actual anniversary), Gunn's fingerprints are unmistakable, from the highly quotable dialogue to the quirky soundtrack lifted from the outer reaches of Gunn's eclectic music collection.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
1 May 2026
-
In Moby Dick, Wilson cleaves to the story’s central existential quest, evoking the strangeness and humor of his source material through his own unmistakable landscapes.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
That kind of democratization of luxury is evident in Berryman’s interior, with a layout that combines guests and crew rather than separates them.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
6 May 2026
-
At La Grand’Vigne, chef Nicolas Masse’s reverence for nature and terroir is evident from the get-go.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
His condition was not immediately clear.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
-
Set one clear priority and start there.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
But rollout varies sharply across industries, and leaders face similar yet distinct questions about what to assess before deployment, what to govern during it, and which companies are already navigating it well.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
-
The researchers took ordinary metal rings and precisely shaped them into specific patterns designed to produce distinct ultrasonic frequencies when struck.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Open-and-shut.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open-and-shut. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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