Meaning & use
opining
Last updated
“opining” is a form of “opine”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
verbintransitive
Present participle of opine: stating an opinion, especially in a confident or lengthy way.
Grammar: Used after be or another verb to form continuous tenses; often followed by that + clause, or by on/about + noun.
Patterns
- be opining that ...
- opining on something
- opining about something
She was opining that the new policy would fail within a year.
The panel spent an hour opining on the state of modern education.
He kept opining about politics even though no one had asked him.
Word forms
| third person singular | opines |
|---|---|
| past tense | opined |
| past participle | opined |
| present participle | opining |
Common combinations
- opine that
- The critic opined that the film was too long.
- opine on
- Experts were invited to opine on the likely outcome.
- opine about
- He likes to opine about the economy at dinner.
- publicly opine
- She rarely opines publicly on controversial issues.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- opine verb
- Base form: to express an opinion.
- opined verb
- Past tense and past participle of opine.
- opinion noun
- A view or judgment about something.
- opinionated adjective
- Having strong, often stubborn, opinions.
Commonly confused: opining or opening?
opining vs opening
Opening means a hole, start, or beginning; opining means expressing an opinion. They sound similar but differ in spelling and meaning.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'opining' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Opining' means expressing an opinion, so it is followed by a that-clause or on/about. The other options confuse it with 'opening' (a door, a box) or use it as if it meant blooming.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “opining”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.