Word
openness
Phoneticsopen·ness
US/ˈoʊpənəs/
UK/ˈəʊpənnəs/
Definitions
01honesty and transparency
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the quality of being honest and not hiding information or feelings.
n. the quality of being characterized by a lack of secrecy; transparency and candour in communication.
“The manager encouraged openness in the office so that everyone felt safe sharing their mistakes.”
“The government's new policy was designed to foster greater openness regarding how public funds were allocated to local infrastructure projects.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02receptivity to new ideas
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the willingness to listen to or accept different ideas, cultures, or ways of doing things.
n. a receptive attitude toward new ideas, experiences, or diverse cultural perspectives.
“Her openness to different cultures made her a great choice for the international project.”
“Psychologists often measure openness as a core personality trait that determines how likely an individual is to seek out novel experiences.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03accessibility of data or systems
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Computing Technical
n. the degree to which information or software can be used and shared by everyone.
n. the degree of accessibility to view, use, and modify resources in a shared environment without proprietary restrictions.
“The openness of the software allowed developers from all over the world to improve it.”
“The movement for data openness argues that scientific research funded by the public should be freely accessible to all citizens.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Recent studies examining personality and AI generally measure extraversion as one of the Big Five personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.” “Bonta has repeatedly indicated an openness to settling cases generally.” Etymology
From Middle English *opennesse, from Old English openness (“openness, publicity”), equivalent to open + -ness. Cognate with Old High German offannussi (“disclosure, revelation, openness”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/openness