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
So, it really wasn’t suspected … POWELL Sounds like an open-and-shut case.
—
Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026
Her payments were spotty, the lawyer said, but overall, the case had been open-and-shut.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 18 Mar. 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
Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026
Her payments were spotty, the lawyer said, but overall, the case had been open-and-shut.
—Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 18 Mar. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for open-and-shut
Adjective
-
To further prevent obvious staining, choose darker flooring that won't show mud and dirt as easily.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 June 2026
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Black is an obvious choice, but purple, red, pink, navy, or even bolder choices like butter yellow, or orange can also work.—
Lauren Jones,
The Spruce,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
The humor resulting from the combination of apparent authenticity, slick social media editing and a compelling mission has prompted speculation among onlookers about the band's true origin.—
Max Bacall , Tessa Hoyos , Nikos DeGruccio,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
-
The apparent unit of output—a token—is not a stable unit of economic value.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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In the video, Allie dramatically acted out both sides of the conversation, capturing the feeling of trying to extract a straightforward answer from her mom.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
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Not Suitable for Work, by contrast, stretches for both satire and straightforward cuddliness.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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And Monroe's blonde legacy is so unmistakable that Lady Gaga's platinum pose recalls Monroe because of its evocation of Madonna.—
Rebecca Mead,
Allure,
29 May 2026
-
Listing agent Tiegen Boberg of Coldwell Banker Realty said the home’s appeal was unmistakable but specific, the kind of property that doesn’t fit neatly into a typical buyer checklist.—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
The divide is particularly evident in apparel.—
Juveria Tabassum,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
This phenomenon was particularly evident last primary, when Bass initially trailed developer Rick Caruso in the mayoral race, but as more ballots came in, Bass continued to gain a lead.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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Investigating active government officials in Mexico is a new strategy for the United States, which in the past refrained from targeting sitting leaders in allied countries with criminal investigations because of the clear political ramifications.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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What Schwartz made clear is that once Cleveland chose Monken, his own decision was already made.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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One star is a pale orange and the other is a very distinct blue.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
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Desmond has some distinct advantages.—
Michael Smolens,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Open-and-shut.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open-and-shut. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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