opportunistic

adjective

op·​por·​tu·​nis·​tic ˌä-pər-tü-ˈni-stik How to pronounce opportunistic (audio)
-tyü-
: taking advantage of opportunities as they arise: such as
a
: exploiting opportunities with little regard to principle (see principle sense 1) or consequences
a politician considered opportunistic
an opportunistic investment
b
: feeding on whatever food is available
opportunistic feeders
opportunistic bears
c
: being or caused by a usually harmless microorganism that can become pathogenic when the host's resistance is impaired
opportunistic infections
opportunistic diseases
opportunistically adverb

Examples of opportunistic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This striking bird, a relative of the crested caracara, was a scavenger and opportunistic hunter, feeding on seabird eggs, carrion, and small animals. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025 While president of basketball operations Jeff Peterson hasn’t been known to work the phones on draft night, Charlotte’s front office is taking an opportunistic approach to emerge from NBA irrelevancy. Hunter Bailey, Charlotte Observer, 23 June 2025 Candida is part of a healthy microbiota but in high abundance, it has been identified as an opportunistic microorganism, causing a reduction in community diversity, and unbalancing the gut microbiota. New Atlas, 21 June 2025 If a hacker or opportunistic snoop has gained access to your account, shutting down PassWatch is a good start, but the Secure Me feature can do more, at least on Windows. PC Magazine, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for opportunistic

Word History

Etymology

opportunist + -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of opportunistic was in 1892

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Opportunistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportunistic. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

opportunistic

noun
op·​por·​tu·​nis·​tic -t(y)ü-ˈnis-tik How to pronounce opportunistic (audio)
: taking advantage of opportunities as they arise: as
a
: exploiting opportunities with little regard to principle or consequences
an opportunistic cheater
b
: feeding on whatever food is available
opportunistic feeders

Medical Definition

opportunistic

adjective
op·​por·​tu·​nist·​ic -t(y)ü-ˈnis-tik How to pronounce opportunistic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or being a microorganism that is usually harmless but can become pathogenic when the host's resistance to disease is impaired
2
: of, relating to, or being an infection or disease caused by an opportunistic organism
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and other opportunistic infections that kill AIDS patientsNew York Times

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