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
From the outset, this seemed like an open-and-shut case.
—
Gemma Allen, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Pricing and Value So far, it's been an open-and-shut case for Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, right?
—PC Magazine, 22 June 2025
Even with the video secured, however, the case is far from open-and-shut legally: The thin blue line gets awfully blurred as Stéphanie runs into infuriating technicalities and roadblocks from higher-ups.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 15 May 2025
That detracts from the open-and-shut case against the university.
—Betsy McCaughey, Boston Herald, 11 May 2025
What looked like an open-and-shut victory for Natalia has suddenly become an impossible case.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
Newton’s candidacy should be an open-and-shut case.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
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
Newton’s candidacy should be an open-and-shut case.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Gemma Allen, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Pricing and Value So far, it's been an open-and-shut case for Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, right?
—PC Magazine, 22 June 2025
Even with the video secured, however, the case is far from open-and-shut legally: The thin blue line gets awfully blurred as Stéphanie runs into infuriating technicalities and roadblocks from higher-ups.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 15 May 2025
That detracts from the open-and-shut case against the university.
—Betsy McCaughey, Boston Herald, 11 May 2025
What looked like an open-and-shut victory for Natalia has suddenly become an impossible case.
—Barry Levitt, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
Newton’s candidacy should be an open-and-shut case.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
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
Newton’s candidacy should be an open-and-shut case.
—Joseph Person, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for open-and-shut
Adjective
-
And then there are the descriptions of the additional terms, which may not be obvious.—
Erik Sherman,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
But a sharp turn straight into country seems like far too obvious a path for a singer-songwriter who has quietly done her own thing.—
Julyssa Lopez,
Rolling Stone,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
In apparent disbelief, Berger simply sank to her knees, her arms outstretched and a huge grin on her face, and watched as her jubilant teammates sprinted towards her to celebrate.—
Jamie Barton,
CNN Money,
20 July 2025
-
Netflix has a new #1 show, Untamed, a series about a federal agent investigating an apparent murder in Yosemite National Park.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
Adjective
-
Usually, first-round contracts are straightforward, with terms outlined in the collective bargaining agreement.—
Eric Jackson,
Sportico.com,
24 July 2025
-
Watching the Dragon Ball franchise in release order is fairly straightforward.—
Chris Snellgrove,
EW.com,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
The public display hit televisions and phone screens across the country and was an unmistakable signal that the Trump administration was not done flexing its political muscle in California.—
Stephen Hobbs,
Sacbee.com,
19 July 2025
-
Dignity Through Every Stage Of Life The shift in conversation is unmistakable.—
Karen Fonseth,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
Adjective
-
The talent is evident, yet the three aim to stay humble.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 July 2025
-
That blend of tradition and innovation is evident in both the menu and the experience.—
Chelsea Davis,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
Adjective
-
But his bet is clear: That in a fractured media world, personality, tone, and trust matter more than legacy or even scale.—
Andy Meek,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
-
Now it's become clear that electric vehicles won’t take over as quickly as expected.—
Stuart Dyos,
The Tennessean,
23 July 2025
Adjective
-
Consider Stapleton International Airport’s reincarnation as Denver’s Central Park neighborhood, or suburban Chicago’s Glenview Naval Air Station’s rebirth as The Glen, a live-dine-play-shop community featuring 2,000 homes in eight distinct enclaves.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
Today, over 3 in 5 cannabis consumers are aware of terpenes: organic compounds present in plants, fungi and cannabis, and are responsible for distinct scents, flavors and therapeutic effects.—
Peter Su,
Rolling Stone,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Open-and-shut.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open-and-shut. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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