opportunist

noun

op·​por·​tun·​ist ˌä-pər-ˈtü-nist How to pronounce opportunist (audio)
-ˈtyü-
: one that is opportunistic or that practices opportunism
a slick, shady, amoral opportunist who has only one desire: to get through life without a day of laborAllan Ulrich
Most burglars are opportunists.
opportunist adjective

Examples of opportunist in a Sentence

a political opportunist who changed his health-care plan to win the election ever the opportunist, she immediately set about becoming the incoming administrator's new best friend
Recent Examples on the Web Haley goes back and forth on Confederate flag There are those among Haley’s former constituents who see her as more of an opportunist, said Larry Watson, a history professor at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 The idea that Harding might have been assassinated wasn’t confined to craven opportunists or the crackpot fringe. Greg Daugherty, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Aug. 2023 Warren: Being an opportunist in the right way, that means grabbing every opportunity. Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2024 Footage from a camera near the home's front door, which Dr. M's family shared with Southlake DPS, clearly shows an opportunist opossum burgled the baked goods. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 1 Feb. 2024 But the move by Colorado’s justices invigorated the dump-Trump movement and catalyzed opportunists like California’s lieutenant governor, Eleni Kounalakis. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2023 To thrive in so many different environments, felines became opportunists. Celia Ford, WIRED, 12 Dec. 2023 These fish are opportunists that feast on a wide array of food depending on what’s available. Outdoor Life, 30 Nov. 2023 That was enough to draw the ire of the MAGA camp, which has some justification in viewing Ryan as an opportunist. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'opportunist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

opportun(ism) + -ist entry 1, probably after French opportuniste

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of opportunist was in 1873

Dictionary Entries Near opportunist

Cite this Entry

“Opportunist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportunist. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

opportunist

noun
op·​por·​tun·​ist -ˈt(y)ü-nəst How to pronounce opportunist (audio)
: one that is opportunistic or that practices opportunism
opportunist adjective

Medical Definition

opportunist

noun
op·​por·​tun·​ist ˌäp-ər-ˈt(y)ü-nəst How to pronounce opportunist (audio)
: an opportunistic microorganism

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