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
-
Making obvious your goal of understanding is a powerful way of creating goodwill.—
Kurt Gray,
TIME,
17 Jan. 2025
-
To be sure, there are obvious benefits to Israel in the first phase of the agreement.—
The Editors,
National Review,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Weakness in the job market is a wildcard that could also trigger lower interest rates, but for now, that is not apparent in reported data.—
Simon Moore,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
-
Yet the apparent optimism was a thin veneer over deep uncertainty.—
Jeanna Smialek,
New York Times,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
How did the character of Joel—who is not a straightforward psychopath, if there is such a thing—come to you?—
Deborah Treisman,
The New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2025
-
That’s where this straightforward supplement from Now Foods comes in, with nothing but 10,000 mcg of biotin.—
Kristine Thomason,
Vogue,
26 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The low-key pair stepped out in casual duds to grab lunch, with the Twilight star sporting a messy topknot in an unmistakable platinum shade.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
21 Jan. 2025
-
An older technique that is once again covering masks across the NHL this season is painting on top of chrome to give the mask an unmistakable shine.—
Jesse Granger,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
That was evident when the Panthers went with Cade Mays over Christensen at center.—
Joseph Person,
The Athletic,
23 Jan. 2025
-
Though the disproportionate dangers of flying in Alaska were evident both then and now, the Douglas C-54D Skymaster carrying Joyce, Jones and 42 others was well equipped to handle what was supposed to be a routine transit flight.—
Francine Uenuma,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
What the possibly dirty text messages involving Hutchinson might say or who sent them isn’t clear.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
24 Jan. 2025
-
It's packed with skin-loving ingredients like glycolic acid to gently exfoliate, willow bark extract to keep pores clear, and green tea seed oil to nourish and soothe.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Very bold colors—a long, bright orange hallway—and wacky costumes like Harvey’s floral suits, to give the film a strident, distinct look and feel.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
-
The movements Obama and Trump inspired were quite distinct.—
Ron Elving,
NPR,
18 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near open-and-shut
Cite this Entry
“Open-and-shut.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open-and-shut. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
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