open seas
Beyond territorial limits
The open seas are waters beyond any nation's territorial jurisdiction—international waters where no country holds sovereignty.
Ships in the open seas operate under the flag they fly, not local law.
The phrase also evokes vastness and freedom: We sailed into the open seas, pirates of the open seas.
Figuratively, open seas suggests uncharted territory or unlimited possibility.
- international watersOcean beyond national jurisdiction
- archipelagic watersSea inside island chains
- oceanMassive saltwater body
- maritimeOf the sea
- nauticalOf ships and sailing
sailing · trade routes · merchant marine · horizon · distant shores · leviathan · doldrums · salty air · swells · freedom of navigation · voyage · deep · blue · Atlantic · fathoms · briny · waves · tides
- naval operationsfleet, admiral, patrol boats, commander, fleet command
- commonscommon land, common goods, shared resources, commons, town common
open seascoastal waters
Sea areas near shores
territorial waters · nearshore · shoreline · coastline · inland waters
open seasinland seas
Waters rimmed by land
lakes · harbors · gulfs · bays · Mediterranean Sea
open seasshallow waters
Low-depth aquatic zones
shoals · shallows · reefs · sandbars · tidal flats
open, sea, opening, seaside, openly, opened, seashore, opens, seafood