leave the door open

present singular third person leaves the door open · participle present leaving the door open · participle past left the door open · past left the door open

1. idiomaticoftenTo maintain the possibility of something happening in the future.

   Harry Kane has left the door open for a return to Tottenham after completing his £100m move to Bayern Munich.

   2023 August 12, “Harry Kane joins Bayern Munich and leaves door open for Spurs return”, in The Guardian

   1 more example

   Federal Reserve officials raised interest rates to their highest level in 22 years and left the door open to further action as they continued their 16-month campaign to wrestle inflation lower by cooling the American economy.

   2023 July 26, Jeanna Smialek, “Fed Raises Rates After a Pause and Leaves Door Open to More”, in The New York Times