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
Allan UlrichMost 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
As played with bravado by Macfadyen, the unhinged Guiteau comes across as a stop-at-nothing opportunist consumed by his overinflated vision of his own significance and purpose.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025
Malek, wild-eyed as ever, portrays Kelley as an overconfident opportunist who is more than willing to cross lines to gain Goering’s trust.
—Lindsey Bahr, Boston Herald, 6 Nov. 2025
Sometimes hawks rise above Helm’s whirling bar cloud – opportunists.
—Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
That sluggish growth deepened religious and ethnic fault lines and allowed political opportunists to foment violence, forcing the authorities to focus on maintaining stability rather than spur economic transformation.
—Amaka Anku, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opportunist
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Randy Myers, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025
Malek, wild-eyed as ever, portrays Kelley as an overconfident opportunist who is more than willing to cross lines to gain Goering’s trust.
—Lindsey Bahr, Boston Herald, 6 Nov. 2025
Sometimes hawks rise above Helm’s whirling bar cloud – opportunists.
—Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
That sluggish growth deepened religious and ethnic fault lines and allowed political opportunists to foment violence, forcing the authorities to focus on maintaining stability rather than spur economic transformation.
—Amaka Anku, Foreign Affairs, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opportunist
Cite this Entry
“Opportunist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportunist. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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