Definitions

public opinion

NOUN

common belief

Synonyms

WEAK

climate of opinion community sentiment consensus gentium conventional wisdom general belief group pressure popular belief prevailing belief prevailing sentiment public belief social pressure special-interest pressure vox pop vox populi

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.

It may also be a difficult argument for the players to win in the court of public opinion.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

Bass has led nearly every public opinion poll in the race, with Pratt and Raman trading places for second and third position.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

His case against OpenAI follows this pattern: a messy, high-stakes conflict waged more in the court of public opinion than the actual courtroom.

From Slate • Apr. 30, 2026

The third American tradition is the unusually large role in foreign policy granted to public opinion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026

President Buchanan, utterly failing to understand his country’s deep divisions, tried to subdue public opinion by labeling slavery’s expansion “a matter of but little practical importance.”

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock