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

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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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for open sesame
Noun
  • Ruiz, who had the assist on Fafa Picault’s goal in Panama last weekend, said the key is to be versatile and adapt to whatever spot coaches ask him to play.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025
  • Alex realized focusing on small, daily improvements was the key.
    Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Fans need to register in advance to buy tickets on The Brothers’ website; there will be a limit of eight tickets per show.
    Dave Brooks, Billboard, 6 Feb. 2025
  • For more information or to buy tickets, email info@hutchinsonjaycees.org. Live music by Absolute Zero at Neisen’s Bar and Grill in Biscay.
    Kay Johnson, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The event also included competitions at the novice and junior levels, as well as development camps that are the gateway for athletes to join the national team, which competes at the world and Olympic levels.
    Alice Park, TIME, 30 Jan. 2025
  • And having fewer infections would lessen the chance of the H5N1 bird flu virus evolving within a person to spread efficiently between people — the gateway to a bird flu pandemic.
    Amy Maxmen, CNN, 30 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near open sesame

Cite this Entry

“Open sesame.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/open%20sesame. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.

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