open up — make access possible
phrasal verbB1IELTS 5+neutralcommon
To make something available, accessible, or ready for use; to allow entry or opportunity.
Say it like a native
Textbook The new bridge renders the northern region accessible.
Native The new bridge opens up the whole north.
'Open up' is the everyday verb for making a place or market accessible; 'renders accessible' is formal.
Pattern: open up (something)
In use
- The new train line will open up the region to more tourists.daily life
- Technology has opened up many new ways for people to work from home, which was not possible in the past.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ The cafe opens up at 8.
✓ The cafe opens at 8.
For daily opening hours just say 'open' — 'open up' adds the feel of unlocking for the first time of day (informal).
Common collocations
open up + access— new markets, the region, the building, the route
Don't confuse it
Not about sharing feelings; this sense is about making something physically or metaphorically accessible.
Related
- open up (talk honestly) — Another meaning of 'open up' is 'talk honestly'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.