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
The jury deliberated for less than one hour per count to deliver its verdict, suggesting this was an open-and-shut case.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
Everything comes to a head during a seemingly open-and-shut case of drug trafficking.
—James Marsh, Deadline, 10 Jan. 2025
Running back is another open-and-shut case with the same projection from before camp.
—Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 9 Aug. 2024
Meanwhile, the case’s ambitious prosecutor Faith Killebrew (Toni Collette) has political aspirations riding on the trial, while the defendant’s attorney Eric Resnick (Chris Messina) tells her this is hardly an open-and-shut case.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024
While everyone else sees an open-and-shut case, Justin’s life flashes before his eyes.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2024
The trial has developed from what initially seemed to investigators like an open-and-shut case into a reckoning with a criminal justice system the public no longer trusts.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 3 July 2024
Though the case seems open-and-shut to the lead detective (Bill Camp), the show initially aligns itself closely with the alleged perpetrator and his lawyer (John Turturro), only to raise troubling questions later.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2024
Variations in the gene’s expression would have provided a simple, open-and-shut way to explain how the evolutionary screws on rattlesnake motor neurons are adjusted.
—Quanta Magazine, 11 Mar. 2024
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Jan. 2025
Everything comes to a head during a seemingly open-and-shut case of drug trafficking.
—James Marsh, Deadline, 10 Jan. 2025
Running back is another open-and-shut case with the same projection from before camp.
—Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 9 Aug. 2024
Meanwhile, the case’s ambitious prosecutor Faith Killebrew (Toni Collette) has political aspirations riding on the trial, while the defendant’s attorney Eric Resnick (Chris Messina) tells her this is hardly an open-and-shut case.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024
While everyone else sees an open-and-shut case, Justin’s life flashes before his eyes.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 28 Oct. 2024
The trial has developed from what initially seemed to investigators like an open-and-shut case into a reckoning with a criminal justice system the public no longer trusts.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 3 July 2024
Though the case seems open-and-shut to the lead detective (Bill Camp), the show initially aligns itself closely with the alleged perpetrator and his lawyer (John Turturro), only to raise troubling questions later.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2024
Variations in the gene’s expression would have provided a simple, open-and-shut way to explain how the evolutionary screws on rattlesnake motor neurons are adjusted.
—Quanta Magazine, 11 Mar. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for open-and-shut
Adjective
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This year organizers are acknowledging openly what’s been obvious for a while.—
Rob Salkowitz,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 2025
-
Then there are the injuries and other conditions that emergency physicians treat regularly that are often preventable — but may not be obvious to the rest of us.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Elvia Anaya, administrative specialist at Omni Laundry, told Rivet that the upsides of producing in L.A. are readily apparent.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Mar. 2025
-
On a separate note, a major situation around fertility or a child could be apparent.—
Kyle Thomas,
People.com,
9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The hardware seemed mature and ready to use today -- the process to snap on and take off is straightforward, and once connected the camera UI switches to the optical lens.—
Ben Sin,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
-
The mission, though, is much more straightforward: Explore the origins of the universe.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA TODAY,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Although the translations into English are awkward, especially across the differences in poetic rhyme scheme and structure, the sentiment is unmistakable.—
Eli Amdur,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
-
Charismatic slacker Raj and uptight striver Mir aren’t just foils for each other; their mutual love is unmistakable, which gives weight to the looming prospect that the stress of salvaging Baba’s empire could tear them apart.—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
His impact is evident in the works of countless artists who cite him as a foundational inspiration.—
Shirley Halperin,
The Hollywood Reporter,
28 Feb. 2025
-
The foreign policy shift was evident, as European leaders visited Trump this week at the White House to talk about reaching an agreement to end the war in Ukraine.—
Domenico Montanaro,
NPR,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Only when implemented with clear objectives and measurable outcomes can AI enhance customer experience, streamline workflows and drive efficiency.—
Abhi Maheshwari,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
-
Her presence at various London TV Screenings events, cheerfully networking with senior execs and marketing bosses, was a clear olive branch to a group of distribution behemoths who, in honesty, would probably prefer MIP London didn’t exist.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
By sharing rights, the Bond franchise has arrived at a very different type of storytelling, one that fragments the story and multiplies the James Bonds to be experienced across distinct media.—
Colin Burnett,
The Conversation,
7 Mar. 2025
-
Therefore, a total lunar eclipse has five distinct phases.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Open-and-shut.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open-and-shut. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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