when one door closes, another opens
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
When one opportunity is lost, another opportunity soon becomes available.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
An excellent reason for absenting himself from school was thus denied to Master Hardy; but it has been well said that when one door closes another opens, and to his great satisfaction the old servant, who had been in poor health for some time, suddenly took to her bed and required his undivided atte
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “when one door closes, another opens” mean?
When one opportunity is lost, another opportunity soon becomes available.
Is “when one door closes, another opens” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.