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

This year’s redevelopment effort is renamed the Reconnecting Communities Redevelopment Act, but – as this Editorial Board has opined – a cute new name doesn’t hide redevelopment’s sordid history. —Steven Greenhut, Orange County Register, 10 May 2024

Nobody wants to opine on how a judge is going to rule — especially not based on a stray comment in an evidentiary hearing — but oof. —Sarah Jeong, The Verge, 8 May 2024

To riff off the old saying, to err is human, so AI must opine. —Adam Rodman, STAT, 3 May 2024

As is typical, Wall Street bigwigs will opine on financial markets, asset management and other topics. —Laurence Darmiento, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024

McCourt is now one of the latest in the line of thinkers to have opined about the state of the digital world. —Paolo Confino, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024

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

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