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 This can sometimes imply the opinion is outdated or unquestioned.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

1. a belief or sentiment shared by most people; the voice of the people
   • he asked for a poll of public opinion