opinion

n.

1. A belief

   belief, notion, view, viewpoint, sentiment, conviction, persuasion, conception, idea, surmise, impression, inference, conjecture, inclination, feeling, fancy, imagining, supposition, suspicion, notion, assumption, guess, theory, thesis, theorem, postulate, hypothesis, point of view, presumption, presupposition, mind; see also belief 1, viewpoint.

2. A considered judgment

   estimation, appraisal, evaluation, conclusion; see judgment 3, verdict.

opinion applies to a conclusion or judgment which, while it remains open to dispute, seems true or probable to one's own mind it's my opinion that he'll agree; belief refers to the mental acceptance of an idea or conclusion, often a doctrine or dogma proposed to one for acceptance religious beliefs; view suggests an opinion affected by one's personal manner of looking at things she gave us her views on life; a conviction is a strong belief about whose truth one has no doubts I have a conviction of your innocence; sentiment (often in the plural) suggests an opinion that is the result of deliberation but is colored with emotion; persuasion refers to a strong belief that is unshakable because one wishes to believe in its truth