open letter

noun

: a published letter of protest or appeal usually addressed to an individual but intended for the general public

Examples of open letter in a Sentence

In an open letter to the company, a citizens' group implored company executives to reconsider their decision to close the factory.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Over the weekend, Scorsese – responding to a cry for help from Rome’s Cinema America collective that runs the city’s largest open-air film festival and the popular Cinema Troisi arthouse venue – issued an open letter inspired by architect Renzo Piano and appealed to the country’s top leaders. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025 More than 400 environmental and other groups have signed an open letter to Energy Transfer expressing solidarity with Greenpeace. Jeff Brady, NPR, 24 Feb. 2025 In response to these changes, more than 1,100 scientists, including over 100 based outside the U.S., signed an open letter to NASA and the Trump administration. Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 19 Feb. 2025 Former state comptroller Carl McCall released an open letter on Feb. 15 endorsing former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to be Adams’ replacement. Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 17 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for open letter

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of open letter was in 1898

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Open letter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20letter. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

open letter

noun
: a letter (as one addressed to an official) for the public to see and printed in a newspaper or magazine

More from Merriam-Webster on open letter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!