Did you know?
We are not opining—that is, expressing our opinion—when we say that opine is not a back-formation of opinion, though the two words do share a common ancestry. A back-formation is a word formed by the subtraction of part of an existing word; for instance, the verb bartend is a back-formation of the noun bartender. Opine and opinion, however, both entered English independently, taking different routes from their mutual roots in the Latin verb opīnārī, meaning “to have in mind” or “to think.” Opinion arrived in the 14th century, while opine followed about a century later.
Examples of opine in a Sentence
Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 1 Apr. 2025
In public at least, the studios appear to be responding with a collective shrug to what some regard as AI slop on YouTube, despite CEOs like Bob Iger opining about the need to protect IP and respect talent.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 28 Mar. 2025
More Boston Celtics News: Recent Jaylen Brown Trade Rumors Hit Different Following Celtics Sale
Ultimately, whatever happens with this sale could dictate how private equity firms operate in franchise purchases going forward, Primack opines.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
The deal could have some major ripple effects for the NBA, specifically the future of its league expansion plans, opines Tim Booth of The Seattle Times.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opine
Cite this Entry
“Opine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opine. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.
Copy Citation
Share