Definition of opener in English:

noun

• 1usually with modifier A device for opening something, especially a container.

  ‘a bottle opener’

  ‘a letter opener’

  More example sentences

  • ‘The Northern Star Literary Award, a hand-crafted pen, pencil and letter opener in a box of North Coast red cedar, will also be awarded for best entry overall.’
  • ‘Airports have brought in increasingly stringent security checks, and are confiscating everything from nail files and bottle openers to knitting needles and knives.’
  • ‘My family has a picnic kit which includes knife, bottle opener, ‘cool bag’ and plastic plates and cups to make meals on beaches that bit nicer!’
  • ‘The product range includes household knives, chef's knives, multiutility pieces with scissors, nail filers, bottle openers and butler knives.’
  • ‘He pulled the plastic bag containing the letter opener out of his jacket pocket.’
  • ‘Any potential weapons, including nail scissors, letter openers and plastic knives, should not be placed in hand luggage, and passengers should allow extra time to check in.’
  • ‘There are pin boxes, jewel boxes, ornament holders, letter racks, pen stands, stationery holders, letter openers and pens, so there should be something to please every visitor who wants to go home with a keepsake.’
  • ‘He reached over to the end table where he kept a large ceramic coffee cup crammed with every sort of writing implement, assorted combs, scissors, letter openers and other junk.’
  • ‘You'll also find the requisite razor-sharp knife and bottle opener.’
  • ‘Grabbing a razor sharp letter opener from the console table in the hallway she tears the envelope open and a small white card drops out into her hand.’
  • ‘He almost scrabbled to open it - contemplated using a butter knife as a letter opener, but then the envelope yielded.’
  • ‘But thousands of wireless devices, such as cordless phones, garage door openers and current Wi-Fi devices, operate in the unlicensed spectrum bands.’
  • ‘One's a mouth, one's a shark's tail bottle opener.’
  • ‘One East Yorkshire business snapped up a few hundred packs complete with bottle opener and glass as a festive present for clients and customers.’
  • ‘There's no bottle opener, he explains, because not many people round here drink beer.’
  • ‘Then he lunges at me, with tweezers, wire cutters, screwdrivers, bottle openers and scissors all snipping, whirring and snapping at me in perfect synchronicity.’
  • ‘He's carrying a bottle of wine. He asks me if I have a bottle opener.’
  • ‘And it's available in cans, so you don't have to worry about where to keep your bottle opener.’
  • ‘I've had one letter opener seized, two Swiss army knives.’
  • ‘Looking into the fountain pen jar, she found a letter opener.’

  Synonyms

  preliminary, overture, opening, preparation, introduction, start, beginning, curtain-raiser, lead-in, precursor, forerunner, harbinger, herald

• 2informal The first of a series of games, cultural events, etc.

  ‘the league opener is three weeks away’

  More example sentences

  • ‘Going into the Craftsman Truck Series opener on Valentine's Day at Daytona, it looked like rookie Randy Briggs would be the biggest winner.’
  • ‘At Firebird, the Nevada native defeated Las Vegas rider Leo Shaver in the Pacific Division's series opener.’
  • ‘Tucker made another visit there the night before Toronto's playoff series opener against Ottawa.’
  • ‘Perhaps only 5,000 of the announced crowd of 20,295 are in the ballpark for the start of the Rangers' series opener against the Devil Rays.’
  • ‘As for the game itself it certainly was a lively opener to the league campaign, and for much of the way it looked like it would be a winning one for us too.’
  • ‘With three game points for a win the next match this afternoon pits Warriors against Golden Hawks for second place, which would mean being closer to a home game post-season opener.’
  • ‘She's been at a New York Yankees' home opener game.’
  • ‘After all the hype in the build-up to Friday night's opener, a series of extremely one-sided results on the weekend has taken away some of the Cup's momentum.’
  • ‘He has lost 14 players since this time last year, and signed only eight, but they travel to Dens Park for Saturday's Premier League opener against Dundee with no shortage of optimism.’
  • ‘That tie will be played on Sunday, February 13 and will head six duels in the group stages of the NRC before the mouth-watering League Two opener against the Lions.’
  • ‘Yet, in Celtic's undoing by Barcelona in their Champions League opener on Tuesday, his uncomplicated style makes him an easy target, as much as an obvious target man.’
  • ‘Today is Toronto's Grapefruit League opener against the Yankees.’
  • ‘With several races close, not every postseason team will have its best pitcher available to start the Division Series opener.’
  • ‘It is likely to be several weeks before it goes on sale to fans and it has not been confirmed which strip the club will take to the field in for tomorrow's League One opener at Hartlepool.’
  • ‘As the year's major league March 31 opener at Anaheim draws closer there is as yet no pay deal between the players and owners.’
  • ‘Rangers appear in no fit shape to tackle Porto at home in their Champions League opener on Tuesday.’
  • ‘But the touring team has already been written off once in this series opener, after the first day when they displayed all the signs of a side outgunned and outplayed.’
  • ‘What's more, they repelled the Yankees in the 1942 World Series, winning four straight games after losing the opener.’
  • ‘In 1992 the Blue Jays won all four of their games by one-run, having dropped the series opener by just two.’
  • ‘Bulls fans will be praying for a bruising encounter tonight as Bradford travel to Knowsley Road in seven days time for the Super League opener.’

  Synonyms

  preliminary, prelude, curtain-raiser, introduction, lead-in, precursor, forerunner, harbinger, herald, start, beginning

  1. 2.1The first point or points scored in a sports event.
     More example sentences

     • ‘Glasgow's Steven Duffy scores his side's opener against Sonians at Anniesland to take Hawks a step closer to the league title and maintaining unbeaten record.’
     • ‘The visitors' back-four dealt with anything the home forwards could produce, and it was no surprise when captain Michael Barker scored Hearts' opener.’
     • ‘Noble assisted on Maher's opener, and then scored off a Maher assist.’
     • ‘Eight minutes after Thompson's opener, Ian Wright scored an equaliser after being put through by the elegant Dennis Bergkamp.’
     • ‘Daryl Robson had scored Strensall's opener with Tom Shaughnessy replying for Bridge.’
     • ‘The game had yet to find a rhythm by the time Celtic scored a fifth minute opener, but Mjallby's goal emphatically established the pattern for the rest of the afternoon.’
     • ‘At this stage Castle must have been confident of holding out until half time, however, James Ryan beat the advancing Dermot Ingram to score the opener in the 42nd minute.’
     • ‘Luckily their team didn't let them down and once Michael Owen scored the opener we knew we were in for a good night - or at least those of us who had a flutter with Ladbrookes did!’
     • ‘In fact it took Rangers until 40 minutes to score the opener, a free kick by Caillin Canning nested in the back of the Baltinglass net.’
     • ‘Grange took the lead on 15 minutes following good work by Niall Byrne who set up unmarked Paddy Byrne in the box to score the opener.’
     • ‘Mark Nolan took a quick corner which went to Billy McDonald who in turn crossed to the far post for Kevin O'Neill to score the opener.’
     • ‘Baltinglass got off the mark when a corner kick found Declan Wall lurking on the edge of the box on five minutes, setting him up to score the opener.’
     • ‘Paul Condron broke through the Villa defence, cross the ball into the box for Kevin Doyle to score the opener.’
     • ‘Eventually Belmount got a lucky break in the box to score the opener to leave Clonaslee frustrated at the break.’
     • ‘However, Galway scored the opener with two minutes of first half action remaining.’
     • ‘Gordon Durie scored an early opener, and the team started well, but Eric Wynalda equalised and Cobi Jones scored a 72nd minute winner on the thick grass of the Willowbrook Stadium.’
     • ‘East Fife took the lead in the 28th minute when Keith Gibson picked the ball up inside the Queens half and with the help of a deflection off Tony Quinn, scored the opener from 35 yards.’
     • ‘Great Britain took the lead in 38th minute with Goudie scoring the opener in 38th minute after Pakistani defenders cleared the ball quickly.’
     • ‘Dailly missed most of last season with a knee injury, but returned in time to score the opener in Scotland's 2-0 World Cup win over Moldova last weekend.’
     • ‘From almost the same spot from which Sheppard scored the opener David McPherson unleashed a powerful shot, but keeper Lee Ward acrobatically tipped it round the post.’
  2. 2.2A remark used as an excuse to initiate a conversation.
     ‘we blurted out the obvious opener’
     More example sentences

     • ‘My store of conversational openers seems thoroughly inadequate to the task.’
     • ‘Sitting down beside him, Brenna wracked her brain for a conversation opener.’
     • ‘My response to his question was sort of a conversation opener and an ender.’
     • ‘The posters round here tend to respond better to more detailed conversational openers than to one-liner posts.’
     • ‘Start with family and friends; it makes a great opener to a conversation at a social gathering!’
     • ‘It had been impossible to sleep after that, however, and I'd lain in bed all night, rehearsing possible conversation openers, and wondering what I was going to wear.’
  3. 2.3(in poker) a hand of sufficient value to allow the opening of betting.