opened the year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "opened the year" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe the beginning of a new year or the start of a specific event or period within that year. For example, "The company opened the year with a major announcement." Alternative expressions include "kicked off the year" and "began the year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The course opened the year after National Golf Links.

The New York Times

MEN'S SQUASH also opened the year with a perfect weekend, topping Franklin & Marshall and Cornell.

Princeton University

Soon the peso, which opened the year worth 12.4 American cents, began to slide.

The New York Times

It's ironic it opened the year the Millennium Dome was falling flat on its face.

The Guardian

There was only one photography gallery in Manhattan, opened the year before by Lee Witkin.

The New York Times - Arts

Robinson opened the year with 11 points and 10 rebounds in a Nov. 10 win over George Washington.

Princeton University

He opened the year 16 3, with all three losses coming against wrestlers ranked among the nation's top four.

Princeton University

She opened the year ranked 59th and made the final at Hobart, an Australian Open tune-up.

The New York Times - Sports

He played a casual round at Cypress Point, which had opened the year before and which he had never seen.

The New Yorker

The Yankees opened the year with two other options at third base, Dale Sveum and Scott Brosius.

The New York Times - Sports

"The Secret Agent" opened the year of his Broadway "Hamlet" and it did not augur a promising film career.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "opened the year", ensure it's followed by a clear description of what initiated or characterized the beginning of that year. This provides context and meaning to the phrase.

Common error

Avoid using "opened the year" in future tense. It describes a past event, so stick to past simple or past perfect tense.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "opened the year" functions as a verbal phrase indicating the commencement or beginning of a specific period, namely the year. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is used to describe how a certain period started, marking a point of initiation with notable events or conditions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

74%

Academia

13%

Encyclopedias

2%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "opened the year" is a grammatically correct and very common expression used to describe the commencement of a year, often highlighting initial conditions or events. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's used to describe how a certain period started, marking a point of initiation with notable events or conditions. It finds primary usage in news and media, but also appears in academic contexts. Its register is generally neutral, making it suitable for a broad audience. When using this phrase, be sure to provide clear context and use appropriate tenses. Related phrases include "began the year" and "started the year". Remember that the correct alternative links are always in Ludwig's JSON!

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

began the year

Replaces "opened" with "began", maintaining the same core meaning of starting a year.

started the year

Similar to "began the year", it uses "started" instead of "opened" to convey the commencement of the year.

commenced the year

Uses a more formal term, "commenced", to indicate the beginning of the year.

initiated the year

Emphasizes the initiation or start of the year with "initiated".

kicked off the year

A more informal way of saying "opened the year", using the phrase "kicked off".

inaugurated the year

A formal term suggesting the start of the year with a sense of importance or ceremony.

the year began with

Rephrases the sentence structure to emphasize what the year began with.

the year started with

Similar to the previous one, but uses "started" instead of "began".

launched the year

Suggests the beginning of the year with a proactive or impactful start, using the term "launched".

the opening of the year

Nominalizes the phrase, focusing on "the opening" as a noun phrase.

FAQs

What does "opened the year" mean?

The phrase "opened the year" means to start or begin the year, often referring to a specific event, condition, or activity that marked the beginning of that year.

How can I use "opened the year" in a sentence?

You can use "opened the year" to describe how a period started. For example, "The company "opened the year" with a major product launch."

What are some alternatives to "opened the year"?

Some alternatives to "opened the year" include "began the year", "started the year", or "kicked off the year".

Is it correct to say "opening the year" instead of "opened the year"?

While "opening the year" can be grammatically correct in certain contexts (e.g. "The opening of the year was marked by celebrations"), it's different from ""opened the year"" which refers to a specific action or event that began the year.