Definition of opportunistnext
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 The Boys – Season 5 (Prime Video) Things have gone from bad to worse in the final season of The Boys, Prime Video’s irreverent superhero satire about America succumbing to charismatic despots and fascistic opportunists. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026 Ever the opportunist, Jones makes a plea to his base. Mia Sato, The Verge, 24 Apr. 2026 Some of the backlash is predicated on harmful stereotypes about trans women that portray them as predatory opportunists. Jenna Norosky, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026 The move has prompted a flurry of skepticism and controversy—including an accusation of plagiarism—in a scene wary of trend-hopping, post-Brat opportunists. Lydia Wei, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for opportunist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opportunist
Noun
  • Bella Hadid is a hairstyle chameleon, and her latest Instagram photos are proof.
    Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 6 June 2026
  • Even better, these sleek shoes act as closet chameleons, blending seamlessly with everything from office outfits to errands ensembles without issue.
    Averi Baudler, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • Under the revised structure, the ninth- and 10th-worst teams will carry the same 5.4% chance at the top overall pick as the NBA’s true bottom-feeders.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 May 2026
  • Even Miami was a bottom-feeder until Messi arrived, and even then — yes, after 2024 Supporters’ Shield and 2023 Leagues Cup successes — the club suffered a first-round playoff exit in his first full season.
    Avi Creditor, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The team’s Mediterranean Programme was devised in response to the exponential risk of extinction to the sea’s nearly 80 species of shark and ray.
    Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
  • That has led to some dangerous shark-human interactions over the years.
    Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • Thus the self-seekers and the doctrinaires were drawn together into an alliance to maintain the status quo, and all its abuses and inequalities were made sacrosanct.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2011
Noun
  • Fittingly, the song’s thumping beat is heard twice, real loud, in Rosebush Pruning, Karim Aїnouz’s high-gloss, pitch-dark satire about an American family described by one of its scions as mediocre, vapid egotists, who will never have to work thanks to a large inheritance.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The former vice-president’s characterizations of peers such as Pete Buttigieg (talented but too gay for the America to accept as her running mate), and Josh Shapiro (an egoist) are not particularly juicy, but have already caused bad blood.
    Book Marks September 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
  • His characters come off as feisty egoists who enjoy sparring and comparing the size of their ambitions.
    Justin Davidson, Vulture, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • Readers may learn about the Florida aquifer, cowhunters, deadhead logging, old-school conservationists such as Marjory Stoneman Douglas and even Charles Ponzi, the famed schemer.
    Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Mike McDaniel is the exact schemer and play caller who can maximize this skill set, though.
    Daniel Popper, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Opportunist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opportunist. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

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