Opine

Opine is a verb meaning to express or state one’s opinion or belief about something. It is typically used to indicate that the speaker is offering a view rather than asserting an established fact. It is common in formal writing, journalism, and public discourse. It can be followed by that, as in The analyst opines that the policy will succeed, or by a prepositional phrase, opine on the policy or opine about the proposal.

The word comes from Latin opinari, meaning to think or suppose, via Old French opiner, and entered English in the early modern period. It retains a sense of deliberate or considered judgment rather than casual thought.

As a formal term, opine often signals a reasoned perspective in discussions, debates, or official statements. In everyday conversation it can come across as pretentious or overly formal, so speakers may prefer think or believe in casual contexts. The related noun is opinion, and the present participle form is opining.

Examples are common in media and analysis: a columnist may opine that a policy will fail, or an expert may opine on the implications of new data. The verb is transitive and typically takes a that-clause or a prepositional phrase after it, rather than standing alone with no object.

See also: opinion, thought, believe, conjecture, opining.