phrasal verb

open up

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Open up (phrasal verb) means to start talking freely about feelings, worries or private matters that you had been keeping to yourself. Example: “It took him months to open up about what happened.”

phrasal verb

To start talking freely about feelings, worries or private matters that you had been keeping to yourself.

"It took him months to open up about what happened."

"She finally opened up to her sister."

To make something accessible, or to become accessible — used of doors, shops, borders, markets and opportunities.

"Open up, it's freezing out here!"

"The reforms opened up the market to foreign firms."

"A whole new career opened up for her after the course."

To increase a lead or a gap, or to begin firing, in sport and military contexts.

"United opened up a four-point gap at the top of the table."

How to use open up

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo start talking about how you really feel — or to make something open.

When to use it

Informal to neutral. Very common in conversation about mental health.

Memory tip

The emotional sense is intransitive: you open up, you do not open something up about it.

Easily confused with

open → opening → open out

Common pairings

open up to someone open up about open up a debate open up opportunities

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

It took him months to _____ about what happened.

Synonyms

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confide speak freely unburden yourself let someone in unlock unbar make available unfold

Antonyms

clam up shut down bottle up close shut seal off

Related words

off end far open close near happen closed

Rhymes for open up

prenup

See all rhymes for open up →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between open up and open?

Plain open is literal and neutral: open the door. Open up adds either emotional disclosure or a sense of something becoming widely available. You open a shop at nine, but a country opens up to tourism.

How do you get someone to open up?

Linguistically, open up takes 'to' before the person hearing the disclosure and 'about' before the subject: he opened up to me about his job. Both prepositions are optional but rarely swapped.

What is the meaning of open up?

"open up" (phrasal verb) means to start talking freely about feelings, worries or private matters that you had been keeping to yourself.

What is another word for open up?

Other words for "open up" include confide, speak freely, unburden yourself, let someone in, unlock, unbar.

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off end far open close near happen closed