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
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But just as the rise of AI will be obvious in the ads, the challenges facing the entertainment business will also be reflected.—
Alex Weprin,
The Hollywood Reporter,
29 Jan. 2025
-
Viewing it now, the movie’s influence and prescience are more obvious than ever.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
An unexpected blockbuster trade in the NBA involving five-time all star Luka Dončić and former NBA Finals champion Anthony Davis has sparked surprised reactions in players across the league — including Dončić's apparent new teammate LeBron James, per reports and plenty of in-game footage.—
Brenton Blanchet,
People.com,
2 Feb. 2025
-
In 1994, the applied mathematician Peter Shor was inspired by a recent oracle result to develop a fast quantum algorithm for factoring large numbers—a task whose apparent difficulty underlies the cryptographic systems that keep our online data secure.—
Ben Brubaker,
WIRED,
2 Feb. 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 near silences are fulsome: A light wind rustles a pine tree, and corn husks make that unmistakable scratching sound.—
Lisa Kennedy,
Variety,
1 Feb. 2025
-
Jupiter and moons Then there's Jupiter — unmistakable with its silvery-white brilliance, though only one-tenth as bright as Venus.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
This camaraderie was evident watching the National Championships last weekend when Amber Glenn, who went on to win her second national championship, wished another skater good luck as that skater prepared to compete.—
Sarah Hughes,
TIME,
4 Feb. 2025
-
The painting features robust, muscular figures in the style of Michelangelo and references the Klan, Nazism, torture, communism, and the Inquisition, evident in such forms as a swastika, hooded figures, a cross, and a hammer and sickle.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Details about the vulnerabilities that were exploited aren't clear.—
Dan Goodin,
Ars Technica,
4 Feb. 2025
-
The original email did not make clear that employees who resign would necessarily be put on administrative leave at all.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The relationship between hardware and software is equally similar and distinct—both serve the disabled community, but both serve in different ways, with some individuals requiring one over the other.—
Grant Stoner,
WIRED,
30 Jan. 2025
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The film stars Ben Whishaw and Rebecca Hall as Hujar and Rosenkrantz, two Brits each playing ’70s New Yorkers with distinct accents.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
29 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 9 Feb. 2025.
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