opinion
noun
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Definition of opinion
1a : a view, judgment, or appraisal formed in the mind about a particular matter We asked them for their opinions about the new stadium.
2a : belief stronger than impression and less strong than positive knowledge a person of rigid opinions
b : a generally held view news programs that shape public opinion
3a : a formal expression of judgment or advice by an expert My doctor says that I need an operation, but I'm going to get a second opinion.
b : the formal expression (as by a judge, court, or referee) of the legal reasons and principles upon which a legal decision is based The article discusses the recent Supreme Court opinion.
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Other words from opinion
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adjective
Synonyms for opinion
Synonyms
belief, conviction, eye, feeling, judgment (or judgement), mind, notion, persuasion, sentiment, verdict, view
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Examples of opinion in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Thornberry said of the unvarnished opinions Trump shared with The Sun. — Washington Post, "AP Analysis: Trump’s barbed comments upset British hosts," 13 July 2018 On top of that, Erica Sackin, director of political communications for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, pointed out on Twitter that Kavanaugh praised the dissenting opinion in Roe v. Wade in a 2017 lecture. — Mckenzie Schwark, Teen Vogue, "Abortion-Rights Hashtag Signals Opposition to Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court Nomination," 10 July 2018 Lawfare‘s Quinta Jurecic does a close read of the U.S. Supreme Court opinion and dissents in Trump v. Hawaii, aka the Muslim travel ban case. — Michelle Weber, Longreads, "The Law Is No Place for Ethics," 6 July 2018 With the potential this fall for the House and Senate to switch to a majority of Democrats, McConnell is waving away any concerns about the public’s opinion at the polls. — Glenn Fleishman, Fortune, "McConnell Argues Against Confirming New Justice This Year (If It Were 2016)," 27 June 2018 The senator was referring to the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who wrote the majority opinion in a key case supporting the Second Amendment. — Daniela Altimari, courant.com, "Democrats Rally Against Brett Kavanaugh Nomination," 13 July 2018 The decision reversed the district’s opinion in 2014 that the permit would harm the ecology of Silver Springs and the Silver River. — Gray Rohrer, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Scott helps donors who pad his campaign accounts, critics say," 13 July 2018 The Rising goalie sold him on the franchise, as his opinion held much weight with their friendship dating back to their time with Orange County. — Clevis Murray, azcentral, "Phoenix Rising's Chris Cortez enjoying big season, life in Arizona, 'Game of Thrones'," 13 July 2018 As with all things Kardashian-Jenner, people were not afraid to share their opinions about this online. — Abby Gardner, Glamour, "Kylie Jenner Pierced 5-Month-Old Stormi's Ears, and People Have a Lot of Feelings About It," 12 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'opinion.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
Is 'Consensus of Opinion' Redundant?
Is 'Consensus of Opinion' Redundant?
Is 'consensus of opinion' redundant?
Dictionary Entries near opinion
Statistics for opinion
Last Updated
16 Sep 2018
Look-up Popularity
Time Traveler for opinion
The first known use of opinion was in the 14th century
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More Definitions for opinion
opinion
noun
English Language Learners Definition of opinion
: a belief, judgment, or way of thinking about something : what someone thinks about a particular thing
: advice from someone with special knowledge : advice from an expert
: a formal statement by a judge, court, etc., explaining the reasons a decision was made according to laws or rules
See the full definition for opinion in the English Language Learners Dictionary
opinion
noun
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Kids Definition of opinion
1 : a belief based on experience and on certain facts but not amounting to sure knowledge In my opinion you should take the job.
2 : a judgment about a person or thing She has a high opinion of herself.
3 : a statement by an expert after careful study He should get an opinion from a lawyer.
opinion
noun
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Medical Definition of opinion
: a formal expression of judgment or advice by an expert wanted a second opinion on the advisability of performing the operation
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opinion
noun
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Legal Definition of opinion
1a : a belief stronger than impression and less strong than positive knowledge
b : a formal expression of a judgment or appraisal by an expert — see also opinion testimony at testimony — compare fact
2a
: advice or evaluation regarding the legal issues involved in a situation given by an attorney to a client
an opinion of title
— called also
legal opinion
b : an advisory opinion issued by an authorized public official (as an attorney general) or a recognized body (as the American Bar Association)
3a : the formal written expression by a court or judge of the reasons and principles of law upon which the decision in a case is based — compare holding, judgment, ruling
: a nonbinding opinion or evaluation of a court or other judicial or quasi-judicial authority or body regarding the effect of the law on a situation that does not present an actual controversy between parties
to answer questions which were not brought before this Court would be to issue an advisory opinion —JBC of Wyoming Corp. v. City of Cheyenne, 843 P.2d 1190 (1992)
Note:
Advisory opinions are issued especially by administrative agencies and by some state courts. Federal courts are constrained by the U.S. Constitution to deciding only cases or controversies and cannot issue advisory opinions.
: an opinion by a judge who agrees with the result in a case but not necessarily with the reasoning used to reach it
: an opinion by a judge who disagrees with the result in a case
: an opinion in a case that is written by one judge and in which a majority of the judges on the court join
1 : a brief opinion of a court that announces the result of a case without extensive discussion and that is usually unpublished and cannot be cited as precedent
2 : an opinion of the U.S. Tax Court that is ordered not to be published but that is authoritative as precedent
3a : an opinion of a court that sets forth the court's views or intended decision in a case but does not constitute the judgment
b : an opinion of a court or judge setting forth the conclusions and findings and containing or constituting the actual order, judgment, or decree in the case
: a usually very brief unanimous opinion attributed to the court as a whole and not to any particular judge
: an opinion with which a majority of the judges on the court concur in result but not in reasoning
: an opinion written separately by a judge who dissents or who concurs only in the result of the majority opinion
: an opinion published in temporary form soon after the decision is rendered
b : a written explanation for a decision reached by an official (as an arbitrator) presiding over the nonjudicial resolution of a dispute
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