opine

verb

ō-ˈpīn 

opined; opining

intransitive verb

: to express opinions

You may opine about anything you want.

transitive verb

: to state as an opinion

opined that the nominee was not fit to serve on the Supreme Court

Did you know?

Opine is not a back-formation of opinion. Both words come from Middle French opiner, meaning "to express one's opinion," and Latin opīnārī, "to have in mind" or "to think." And they were thought up as words for the English language independently at different times.

Synonyms

• allow
• comment
• editorialize
• note
• observe
• reflect
• remark
• weigh in

Examples of opine in a Sentence

Many people opine that the content of Web pages should be better regulated.

You can opine about any subject you like.

Recent Examples on the Web

Hoodwinked by ketchup Bobby Trice, a line cook at The Weiner's Circle, the iconic North Side stand outside where Heinz set up last week, opines that Chicago’s stance on ketchup goes back decades. —Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 13 Apr. 2024

Tell that to the hostage families, who want a primary focus on rescuing the innocent captives, even as officials quietly opine that fewer than 60 of the 133 on the list are likely still alive. —Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman, TIME, 9 Apr. 2024

Craig opined that the article was an accurate and factual description of life at the Navy’s Top Gun school and the capabilities of fighter aircraft — thereby undermining its protection as a creative work. —Gene Maddaus, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024

At the start of the pandemic, the scientific community confidently opined that coronaviruses evolved slowly. —Helen Branswell, STAT, 28 Mar. 2024

In a world constantly riled up over politics, the task of formally opining on issues would be endless. —Pamela Paul, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024

Over the years, local leaders have opined about where the train should go and which communities should directly benefit, leading to shifts in strategy that have prolonged the process. —Colleen Shalby, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024

Lately, though, Americans increasingly opine that anyone who hopes to retire in comfort will need at least $1 million in savings. —USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024

Part of the problem, opines Alto Neuroscience CEO Amit Etkin, is that there isn’t a systematized approach to learn from failures and successes in how medications affect individuals. —Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 8 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English opinen "to hold an opinion, think (that something is the case)," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French opiner "to express one's view, be of the opinion (that)," borrowed from Latin opīnārī "to hold as an opinion, think, have in mind," of obscure origin

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

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Kids Definition

opine

verb

ō-ˈpīn 

opined; opining

: to have or express an opinion