opportunist

noun

op·​por·​tun·​ist ˌä-pər-ˈtü-nist 

-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 labor

—Allan Ulrich

Most burglars are opportunists.

opportunist adjective

Synonyms

• acrobat
• chameleon
• chancer [British]
• temporizer
• timeserver
• trimmer
• weathercock

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

Attend any big Hancock event, and there will be a good number of status-seekers and Instagram-minded opportunists. —Taran Dugal, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2024

Underneath this policy lies a belief that Putin is fundamentally an opportunist. —Peter Schroeder, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2024

Labeling him an opportunist misses the broader appeal and significance of his candidacy. —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2024

Crane, in turn, has cast Smith as an opportunist bankrolled by the D.C. —Laura Gersony, The Arizona Republic, 30 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

opportunist

noun

op·​por·​tun·​ist -ˈt(y)ü-nəst 

: one that is opportunistic or that practices opportunism

opportunist adjective

Medical Definition

opportunist

noun

op·​por·​tun·​ist ˌäp-ər-ˈt(y)ü-nəst 

: an opportunistic microorganism