opportunistic

adjective

Definition of opportunisticnext
as in aggressive
attentive to and ready to act on opportunities for personal gain or advancement The opportunistic salesperson was always on the lookout for potential new customers.

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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 opportunistic The hosts discuss Sorsby as a product of both his own mistakes and opportunistic pearl clutching among college sports leaders. — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 25 June 2026 Whose small, unpredictable steps are at one with a soccer ball, and whose positioning is opportunistic beyond reason. — Filip Bondy, New York Daily News, 22 June 2026 Among them were opportunistic pathogens like Klebsiella pneumoniae, which can cause pneumonia, and Serratia ficaria, a cause of respiratory infections. — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2026 The Rays were not opportunistic early, loading the bases in each of the first two innings and scoring only one run. — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for opportunistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opportunistic
  1. aggressive
  2. diligent
  3. aspiring
  4. industrious
  5. enterprising
  6. dynamic
Adjective
  • Jones more aggressive Jones’ three appearances in the California Classic were defined by a passive way of playing.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 10 July 2026
  • Your dog is reactive or aggressive around other animals or strangers.
    — Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2026
Definition of aggressive
Adjective
  • Bowen plays the diligent pro golf tour director of public relations and Happy’s kind, caring love interest Virginia Venit.
    — Skyler Trepel, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026
  • Now, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue says its diligent job is done, signaling full containment of the fires soon.
    — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 25 June 2026
Definition of diligent
Adjective
  • His older sisters are frequently photographed out and about, but Louis—an aspiring actor—largely stays out of the spotlight.
    — Christopher Luu, InStyle, 5 July 2026
  • And yet Webster’s dictionary, and his earlier attempts at spelling reform, expressed a radical desire to forge an entirely new tongue based in the vernacular genius of the aspiring American people.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
Definition of aspiring
Adjective
  • Tuba is currently having a resurgence in Colima, with the drink being sold by industrious street vendors and swanky mixologists alike.
    — Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • Soon we were both absorbed in the process — two middle-aged people constructing our land art like industrious toddlers.
    — Jancee Dunn, New York Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of industrious
Adjective
  • Their younger son’s back issues are indeed the least of the family’s problems, especially when a deal made with a more enterprising neighboring farmer winds up going bust.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
  • Extending the life of the mission for that long could bring Voyager 1 to its 50-year anniversary, a deadline that’s setting the stage for one of the team’s most enterprising steps yet.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 27 Apr. 2026
Definition of enterprising
Adjective
  • Her 2019 debut book, Fight Like a Mother, told how a stay-at-home mother of five in a blended family remade herself into one of the most dynamic forces in American politics today.
    — David Frum, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
  • Conversion lifts when offers are dynamic and contextual rather than static fare classes.
    — Somit Goyal, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of dynamic

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Cite this Entry

“Opportunistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opportunistic. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on opportunistic

Nglish: Translation of opportunistic for Spanish Speakers

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