What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Surmise vs Opinion - What's the difference?

surmise | opinion | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between surmise and opinion

is that surmise is thought, imagination, or conjecture, which may be based upon feeble or scanty evidence; suspicion; guess while opinion is a belief that a person has formed about a topic or issue.

As verbs the difference between surmise and opinion

is that surmise is to conjecture, to opine or to posit with contestable premises while opinion is to have or express as an opinion.

surmise

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • Thought, imagination, or conjecture, which may be based upon feeble or scanty evidence; suspicion; guess.
  • surmises of jealousy or of envy
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • No man ought to be charged with principles he actually disowns, unless his practices contradict his profession; not upon small surmises .
  • * 1919 ,
  • The meeting had been devoid of incident. No word had been said to give me anything to think about, and any surmises I might make were unwarranted. I was intrigued.
  • Reflection; thought; posit.
  • (Shakespeare)

    Verb

    (surmis)
  • To conjecture, to opine or to posit with contestable premises.
  • opinion

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A belief that a person has formed about a topic or issue.
  • I would like to know your opinions on the new systems.
    In my opinion , white chocolate is better than milk chocolate.
    Every man is a fool in some man's opinion .
    Truth, in matters of religion, is simply the opinion that has survived. -
  • The judgment or sentiment which the mind forms of persons or things; estimation.
  • * 1606 , , I. vii. 32:
  • I have bought golden opinions from all sorts of people.
  • * South
  • Friendship gives a man a peculiar right and claim to the good opinion of his friend.
  • (obsolete) Favorable estimation; hence, consideration; reputation; fame; public sentiment or esteem.
  • * 1597 , , V. iv. 47:
  • Thou hast redeemed thy lost opinion .
  • * Milton
  • This gained Agricola much opinion , who enterprises.
  • (obsolete) Obstinacy in holding to one's belief or impression; opiniativeness; conceitedness.
  • * 1590 , , V. i. 5:
  • Your reasons at / dinner have been sharp and sententious, pleasant / without scurrility, witty without affection, audacious / without impudency, learned without opinion , and / strange without heresy.
  • The formal decision, or expression of views, of a judge, an umpire, a doctor, or other party officially called upon to consider and decide upon a matter or point submitted.
  • (European Union law) a judicial opinion delivered by an Advocate General to the European Court of Justice where he or she proposes a legal solution to the cases for which the court is responsible
  • Derived terms

    * advisory opinion * be of the opinion * in my humble opinion/IMHO * in my opinion * in one's opinion * opinion poll * public opinion * scientific opinion * second opinion

    See also

    * fact

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (archaic) To have or express as an opinion.
  • * 1658', But if (as some '''opinion ) King ''Ahasuerus'' were ''Artaxerxes Mnemon'' [...], our magnified ''Cyrus'' was his second Brother — Sir Thomas Browne, ''The Graden of Cyrus (Folio Society 2007, p. 166)
  • Statistics

    * ----