open the floodgates

phrase

: to remove something serving to restrain an outburst
Many people fear that the court's latest ruling will open the floodgates for/to a host of new lawsuits.

Examples of open the floodgates in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Habib Diarra’s early goal for Senegal and Rebin Sulaka’s 13th-minute dismissal for Iraq did not open the floodgates at first. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 July 2026

Rhymes for open the floodgates

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Browse Nearby Words

open the door
open the floodgates
open the way
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Cite this Entry

“Open the floodgates.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open%20the%20floodgates. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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