open-and-shut

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

ADJECTIVE

pretty much decided

Synonyms

WEAK

apparent assured cinched clear clear as a bell clear-cut conclusive cut and dried distinguishable easy evident explicit glaring guaranteed iced in the bag indisputable nailed down obvious ordinary plain routine self-evident self-explanatory sewn up simple straightforward undeniable undisguised unmistakable

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.

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

And it’s difficult to envision four members of the current court agreeing to do so given the open-and-shut failure of Davis’ main argument.

From Slate • Aug. 13, 2025

The saddest of operas, “Ainadamar” is not a tragic opera, not an opera of open-and-shut endings, but one of open-ended endings.

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2025

So, this would appear to be an open-and-shut case.

From New York Times • Sep. 13, 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

open-and-shut

Example Sentences

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