1
as in chameleon
a person who dexterously and expediently changes or adopts opinions ever the opportunist, she immediately set about becoming the incoming administrator's new best friend

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2
as in bottom-feeder
one who does things only for his own benefit and with little regard for right and wrong an opportunist who makes friends and then drops them as soon as they aren't useful anymore

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of opportunist For example, we’ve been approached by opportunists offering to file simple forms that require no negotiation — for a 10% cut. Robert Kaplan, Mercury News, 3 June 2025 The tumult did not escape the notice of opportunists elsewhere. Evan Drellich, New York Times, 22 May 2025 Beyond the superrich, however, are tens of thousands of other opportunists who have benefited from war, such as the entrepreneurs who make money from sanctions-busting. Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 17 Apr. 2025 That is until smooth-talking opportunist sneaker J.B. Courtney Howard, Variety, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for opportunist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opportunist
Noun
  • Feliz played Samantha Reed, who has been trained by her father to be a weapons expert, skilled martial artist and true chameleon all while hiding a mysterious past.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Plus, this top is the ultimate clothing chameleon: Pair it with casual shorts and sneakers, wear it with a skirt and heeled sandals, or toss it over your swimsuit as a classy cover-up.
    Kristine Thomason, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • Hall, a 33-year-old former MVP who’d spent 1 1/2 seasons of his dwindling prime killing time on an NHL bottom-feeder, did in May exactly what Carolina acquired him to do back in January.
    Sean Gentille, New York Times, 13 May 2025
  • And a lot of them are like the rig shark — smaller bottom-feeders, eaten by larger sharks and humans alike.
    Julie Depenbrock, NPR, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Details of the species of shark involved were not released.
    Mark Price Updated July 8, Miami Herald, 8 July 2025
  • The waters along the South Cape and Islands, where recreational shark fishing for non-white shark species has historically occurred, are not included in the regulations.
    Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 7 July 2025
Noun
  • His characters come off as feisty egoists who enjoy sparring and comparing the size of their ambitions.
    Justin Davidson, Vulture, 13 May 2025
  • The adage about egoists who want to be the bride at every wedding proved literally true.
    Danny Heitman, Christian Science Monitor, 9 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Opportunist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opportunist. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

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