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open-and-shut

[oh-puhn-uhn-shuht] / ˈoʊ pən ənˈʃʌt /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That made this an open-and-shut case, except nothing’s ever that way with Musk.

From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026

Our reviewer, Steven Poole, wrote that “the book proceeds like a convoluted murder mystery, introducing one suspect after another in what seems like an open-and-shut case, before puncturing the promising narrative with an inconvenient fact.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

But what seemed like an open-and-shut case dragged on for nearly a decade.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 1, 2025

As such, it would seem to be close to an open-and-shut case: If you want a healthy night's sleep, stay away from electronic devices in the period before you go to bed.

From Salon • Nov. 8, 2023

We felt like the case was open-and-shut, but then one day, after a month or so, we got a call that he’d made bail.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah




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