open-and-shut

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

Sounds like an open-and-shut case, but German director Ilker Çatak argues that the rules of integrity are as flimsy as the rules of surviving a horror flick.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 7, 2024

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

Judge Willmore didn’t see it as so open-and-shut.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel