open carry

noun

: the act or practice of carrying a firearm openly in public or the legal right to do so

In Pennsylvania, open carry is generally allowed without a license, but Philadelphia does require a license.—

Joshua Gillin

The next frontier for gun-rights advocates is "open carry," epitomized last year by protests in which permitted gun owners carried firearms in plain view at Starbucks coffee shops.—

Patrik Jonsson

Three more states ban concealed carry but not open carry.—

Hank Johnson and Mitch Seabaugh

—often used before another noun

open carry laws/legislation

compare concealed carry

Examples of open carry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Dillon’s other tweak cleared up some confusion around open carry during the meeting of a governing body. —

Tim Clouser | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 July 2024 Washington almost entirely preempts municipalities from enacting gun control outside of a few areas, such as discharge within city limits and limiting open carry during a municipal meeting. —

Tim Clouser | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 July 2024 While Republicans pass more laws allowing for the open carry of weapons in our communities, Trump and other Republicans are demanding wider security measures for themselves. —

Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 24 July 2024 The officer added that while the open carry of firearms is technically allowed, they are not recommended at the event. —

Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for open carry

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'open carry.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.