as in key
something that allows someone to achieve a desired goal
it turned out that a simple "please" was the open sesame for charming the hotel manager into giving us a room with a better view
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of open sesame
For something cozy, but not basic: Ask Rabble Coffee for an open sesame: a latte with tahini, dates, orange, cinnamon and chili pepper.
—
Arika Herron, Axios, 10 Sep. 2024
But is an ‘Alexandria in the cloud’ really an open sesame?
—Susan Tallman, The New York Review of Books, 1 Dec. 2023
SeaWorld San Diego is opening Sesame Place, a 17-acre park featuring rides, attractions and all sorts of merriment that will annoy Oscar the Grouch to no end.
—Scott Craven, azcentral, 21 Oct. 2019
Arika Herron, Axios, 10 Sep. 2024
But is an ‘Alexandria in the cloud’ really an open sesame?
—Susan Tallman, The New York Review of Books, 1 Dec. 2023
SeaWorld San Diego is opening Sesame Place, a 17-acre park featuring rides, attractions and all sorts of merriment that will annoy Oscar the Grouch to no end.
—Scott Craven, azcentral, 21 Oct. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for open sesame
Noun
-
The key is to use AI to enhance strategy, not replace creativity, ensuring long-term adaptability in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
For bettors, the key is to assess whether a team has the depth and skill for sustained success, or if recent wins are masking deeper issues.—
Julia Ranney,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Detectives arrested a man accused in a lottery ticket stealing scheme that netted him and a partner thousands of dollars in winnings, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2025
-
That way, everyone who paid extra for the home opener would still go to the first home game that day, and everyone who bought tickets to the Saturday game wouldn’t have had to change plans.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The problem with this model was that attackers gained immediate, easy and trusted access to everything once the firewall, gateway or VPN server creating this perimeter was breached.—
Venkat Viswanathan,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
-
At home, our Xfinity WiFi gateways and extenders create a fast, reliable, and secure connection in every corner of your home.—
Comcast,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Open sesame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open%20sesame. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share