# open invitation

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/open-invitation
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A situation or action that tempts someone to do something which would typically yield an unfavorable or illegal result.

## Examples

- Leaving your front door unlocked is an open invitation to thieves.
- Leaving your expensive laptop unattended in the library is an open invitation for someone to steal it.
- By failing to enforce the security protocols, the manager provided an open invitation for employees to ignore the safety regulations entirely.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.