popular opinion
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A belief or sentiment shared by most people; the general consensus or prevailing view within a society or group. It represents the collective judgment or attitude of the public on a particular issue.
Usage
"Popular opinion" is used to describe what the majority of people think or feel about a topic. It is often discussed in contexts like politics, social issues, marketing, and media. - It is typically used as a singular noun phrase. - It can be the subject or object of a sentence. - It often appears with verbs like reflect, influence, defy, follow, or shape.
Examples
- Subject of sentence:
- Popular opinion has shifted dramatically on environmental policies.
- Popular opinion often lags behind scientific consensus.
- Object of sentence:
- The new policy seems to be against popular opinion.
- Politicians frequently try to gauge popular opinion before elections.
- With prepositions:
- He was a leader who acted in accordance with popular opinion.
- The decision was made contrary to popular opinion.
Advanced Usage
- "to be a matter of popular opinion": Used to state that something is decided by what most people believe, rather than by fact or law.
- Whether the film is a classic is largely a matter of popular opinion.
- "to sway/shape popular opinion": Refers to the act of influencing or changing what the public believes.
- The media campaign was designed to shape popular opinion on the issue.
Variants and Related Words
- Public opinion: A very close synonym, often used interchangeably in political and sociological contexts. It can imply a more measured or polled sentiment.
- The senator carefully monitored public opinion in her state.
- Consensus: General agreement among a group. While similar, "consensus" can exist within smaller, specialized groups, not just the general public.
- Conventional wisdom: The generally accepted belief or opinion on a topic. This can sometimes imply the opinion is outdated or unquestioned.
Synonyms
- Public sentiment
- General consensus
- Prevailing view
- Majority belief
Idioms and Phrases
- The voice of the people: A phrase synonymous with popular or public opinion, emphasizing its collective nature.
- The referendum was seen as the voice of the people.
- To go against the tide/grain of popular opinion: To act or believe in opposition to what most people think.
- The scientist went against the tide of popular opinion with her controversial theory.
Noun
- a belief or sentiment shared by most people; the voice of the people
- he asked for a poll of public opinion