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.

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Notably, however, nominee for HHS Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, opined in the Wall Street Journal an interest in tying U.S. drug prices to the ones paid in Europe. Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024 The mix of talking heads and underwater footage (Jeff Louis Peterman’s beckoning cinematography) as well as the occasionally hyped opining about the potential for disaster or triumph delivers the familiar beats of the genre. Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 8 Dec. 2024 Berkshire Hathaway Chair and CEO Warren Buffett opined at length in 2018 and 2019 about the trade conflicts that erupted during Trump’s first term. Yun Li, CNBC, 8 Dec. 2024 At my own family gatherings, people might opine about their own bodies or occasionally aim a barb about how a cousin or I have lost or gained weight. Ella Cerón, Allure, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for opine 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of opine was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near opine

Cite this Entry

“Opine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opine. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

opine

verb
opined; opining
: to have or express an opinion

More from Merriam-Webster on opine

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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