opine
Americanverb (used with or without object)
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opines,
present (3rd person singular)
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opined,
past participle, past
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opining
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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opinesimple
-
opinessimple
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have opinedperfect
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has opinedperfect
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am opiningprogressive
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are opiningprogressive
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is opiningprogressive
-
have been opiningperfect progressive
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has been opiningperfect progressive
Past
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opinedsimple
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had opinedperfect
-
was opiningprogressive
-
were opiningprogressive
-
had been opiningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of opine
First recorded in 1575–85; is from Latin opīnārī “to think, deem”
Explanation
The verb opine is used when someone speaks up and expresses an opinion. You might opine that dogs are highly preferable to cats. Whenever you have something to say about a subject, you have the option to opine about it or keep your mouth shut. Movie critics opine about the best films of the year, and kindergarten kids opine that they'd rather not take a nap. Opine can also describe what you suppose will happen, like when you opine that school lunches will improve because of the new cook. The Latin opinari, or have an opinion, is the root of opine.
Vocabulary lists containing opine
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This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for September 26–October 2, 2020
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He said, however, that as a military industrial base analyst, it wasn’t his place to opine on whether this sort of intense military investment should be the budget priority of the American government.
From Salon ● May 8, 2026
The OLC has the power to opine on whatever the OLC wants to opine on, but it’s just that; it’s an opinion.
From Slate ● Apr. 9, 2026
But the court didn’t explain those orders or opine on the broader legal issues involved.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 16, 2026
“People much closer to that situation are better to opine on that.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2026
Young aspirants sometimes inwardly opine, that their living ancestors take up too much room.
From Dealings with the Dead, Volume I (of 2) by A Sexton of the Old School
When life gets you down, Danny Palumbo opines, nothing is more soothing than eating a meal prepared with love.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
Interest rate increases are one of Wall Street’s concerns, and those seem to be on the table, potentially as soon as this fall, opines Capital Economics’ Chief North America Economist Stephen Brown.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
“The Spartans might be . . . viewed as parasites, feeding off the forced labor of their helots,” he opines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 25, 2026
Butchart opines that the rest of the world is – explicitly or implicitly – opposed to unchallenged U.S. financial hegemony.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2025
He gives us the names of two hotels, one of which—the 'Lamb,' at Brussels—he recommends highly; and the Pension of a certain Madame Ochteroogen, at Namur, will, he opines, suit us better than an inn.
From Barrington Volume I (of II) by Charles James Lever
“His many detractors should grant that his comments late Saturday at a White House press briefing hit the right notes of gratitude and comity,” the Wall Street Journal editorial board opined.
From Slate ● Apr. 26, 2026
He also opined that the Strategy cost price is not as important as people think.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 16, 2026
A few analysts have opined on fusion, though.
From Barron's ● Dec. 19, 2025
In the past, Sarandos has opined with a “c’est la guerre” shrug that the rise of streaming has shifted movie consumption out of theaters and into living rooms.
From Salon ● Dec. 10, 2025
When Ptolemy I started to show evidence of favoring succession to one of his younger sons, the future Ptolemy II Philadelphus, Demetrius opined in favor of the interests of Eurydice, the old king’s first wife.
From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro
Zuckerberg's manifesto is the latest example of a tech boss opining on why AI is the next big thing.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Analysts are opining about the impact on global trade, which influences corporate earnings, but it’s too early to draw significant conclusions.
From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026
Berkshire’s mountain of cash and equivalents increased to another record, with some analysts opining that it might reflect a decision by Buffett to leave big purchasing decisions to Abel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 10, 2025
But among all of Bong’s opining is a fantastic line that bores directly to the heart of his message.
From Salon ● Mar. 25, 2025
Bashville, the footman, had risked his popularity there by opining that Miss Goff was a fine young woman.
From Cashel Byron's Profession by Bernard Shaw
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
