public opinion

See more synonyms for public opinion on Thesaurus.com

noun

the collective opinion of many people on some issue, problem, etc., especially as a guide to action, decision, or the like.

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Origin of public opinion

First recorded in 1560–70

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for public opinion

Contemporary Examples

If the issue were decided on public-opinion numbers alone, there would have been legislative action a long time ago.
How Obama and the Democrats Could Win on Gun Control—by Losing
Eleanor Clift
January 31, 2013
Indeed, public-opinion polls showed no “bounce” for America in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.
U.S. Squandering the PR Opportunity of the Arab Spring
Michael Holtzman
September 23, 2012
Two, the fact that in each case, the public-opinion verdict comes down to the particulars.
Why Conservatives Forgive Sex Scandals
Michael Tomasky
November 1, 2011

Historical Examples

So far as we observed temperance prevailed, backed by public-opinion.
On Horseback
Charles Dudley Warner

British Dictionary definitions for public opinion

public opinion

noun

the attitude of the public, esp as a factor in determining the actions of government

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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012