looking forward to opening

USAGE SUMMARY

"looking forward to opening" is a perfectly grammatical and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you want to express eager anticipation or excitement about something new, such as an event, a business, a job, etc. For example, "We're looking forward to opening our new store next month!".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

18 human-written examples

"We're not looking forward to opening the cheese container," one diplomat joked.

The New York Times

Mr. McFarland said he felt "fantastic" about the settlement and was looking forward to opening new branches of Ed's in other New York neighborhoods.

The New York Times

It said in a statement: "We are looking forward to opening Apple's new London campus at the Battersea power station in 2021.

The Guardian

JD Wetherspoon's founder and chairman, Tim Martin, said: "We are looking forward to opening our first licensed bar and restaurant on the motorway network.

The Guardian

Mr. Levine was in "very good spirits" while recuperating at home, his brother said, and was looking forward to opening the season in Boston and at the Metropolitan Opera, where he is also music director.

The New York Times

One I am particularly looking forward to opening over the Christmas break is the 2010 Chéreau-Carré Cuvée des Ceps Centenaires, Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine, £22, The Wine Society, a lip-smacking bone-dry white, with an appley tang that beats many a chablis.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

42 human-written examples

In my 20 years in the insurance industry, I never once heard anyone tell me they were looking forward to open enrollment.

Huffington Post

I always looked forward to opening day.

The New York Times - Sports

I look forward to opening mail for The New Yorker.

The New York Times

And it's a slap in the face to loyal Met and Cub fans who look forward to opening day in either hometown.

The New York Times - Sports

Stranger on a Strange Team When Tanyon Sturtze was a boy in Worcester, Mass., he always looked forward to opening day at Fenway Park.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When expressing anticipation for a future event, ensure that the subject performing the action of "opening" is clearly defined. For instance, specify who is "looking forward to opening" the new facility or business.

Common error

Avoid confusing "to" (a preposition indicating direction or purpose) with "of" (a preposition indicating possession or origin). "Looking forward of opening" is grammatically incorrect; always use "looking forward to opening".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "looking forward to opening" functions as a gerund phrase, expressing anticipation or excitement about a future event. As supported by Ludwig, it correctly utilizes a gerund ("opening") after the preposition "to".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "looking forward to opening" is a common and grammatically correct way to express anticipation for a future event, particularly the start or inauguration of something new. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is best used with the gerund form of the verb. The phrase appears frequently in news and media, as well as in formal business contexts. When using this phrase, ensure that the subject performing the opening is clearly defined and avoid the common mistake of using "of" instead of "to". Alternatives include "anticipating the opening" and "eagerly awaiting the opening". In summary, "looking forward to opening" is a versatile and effective way to communicate excitement about upcoming events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

anticipating the opening

Replaces the idiomatic "looking forward to" with a more direct verb of anticipation. The verb choice is changed.

eagerly awaiting the opening

Substitutes "looking forward to" with "eagerly awaiting", emphasizing the eagerness. The verb choice is changed.

excited about the prospect of opening

Replaces "looking forward to" with "excited about the prospect of", highlighting the excitement. The verb choice is changed.

keen on opening

Uses "keen on" as a more concise alternative to "looking forward to". The verb choice is changed.

anxious for the opening

Emphasizes eagerness and potential impatience for the opening.

awaiting the opening with anticipation

Inverts the sentence structure to place emphasis on the anticipation.

can't wait to open

Uses a more informal and emphatic expression of eagerness.

enthusiastically anticipating the opening

Adds the adverb "enthusiastically" to amplify the feeling of anticipation.

with great anticipation for the opening

Highlights the strong feeling of anticipation using a prepositional phrase.

counting down to the opening

Expresses the passage of time with excitement until the event.

FAQs

How can I use "looking forward to opening" in a sentence?

You can use "looking forward to opening" to express anticipation about the start or inauguration of something. For example, "We are "looking forward to opening" our new branch next month".

What are some alternatives to "looking forward to opening"?

You can use alternatives like "anticipating the opening", "eagerly awaiting the opening", or "excited about the prospect of opening" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "looking forward to open"?

No, "looking forward to open" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "looking forward to opening", where "opening" is a gerund (a verb form that functions as a noun).

What's the difference between "looking forward to opening" and "looking forward to open"?

"Looking forward to opening" is the correct grammatical form, using the gerund "opening" after the preposition "to". "Looking forward to open" is incorrect because it uses the base form of the verb after "to" which requires a gerund in this construction.