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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Recent Examples of opportunistic
Steller sea lions are opportunistic hunters that feed on a wide range of prey.
—
Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Throughout its three decades, this company has always been opportunistic.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
The result is a sideways PR cycle that feels less like an unusually strong reaction to the pre-production process, and more like an opportunistic projection of today’s politics that risks pushing the public to ignore the book Burke actually wrote.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 28 Apr. 2026
These have all been opportunistic samples from taxidermists.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for opportunistic
Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2026
Throughout its three decades, this company has always been opportunistic.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
The result is a sideways PR cycle that feels less like an unusually strong reaction to the pre-production process, and more like an opportunistic projection of today’s politics that risks pushing the public to ignore the book Burke actually wrote.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 28 Apr. 2026
These have all been opportunistic samples from taxidermists.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for opportunistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opportunistic
Adjective
-
Buxton knows the plan — a fighting retreat that saves ownership money but still gives the team the chance to regroup and compete for a division title with strong starting pitching and an aggressive, small-ball approach from a young, athletic lineup.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
4 May 2026
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Iran signaled an aggressive response to this latest bid to break its stranglehold over the strait, which has left global shipping at an effective standstill and sent energy prices spiraling.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
These trees need proper attention to grow to their full potential—pruning is essential, as is being diligent against pests.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Defenseman Jacob Moverare was highlighted with the Daryl Evans Youth Hockey Service Award for his diligent and enthusiastic work with the Kings’ learn-to-play program.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the original, which opened in 2006 and grossed $326 million worldwide, Hathaway’s Andy is an aspiring journalist who becomes the personal assistant to Streep’s Miranda.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
28 Apr. 2026
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To each of these aspiring writers, Meredith sent a brochure advertising his services.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The pop of gloves and laughter of children rang through the field for a while — until a few industrious boys and girls got their manos on bolígrafos.—
Ryan Finley,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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The social media content that comes out of the sprawling music festival screams spontaneity, but industrious planning is often buzzing behind the scenes weeks, or sometimes even months, in advance.—
Kaitlyn Huamani,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The second-youngest of eight children, Gordy hailed from an enterprising Detroit family with Georgia plantation roots, including several sisters who had carved successful business paths.—
Brian McCollum,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
-
All Stanford students are ambitious, but many of the most enterprising among them drop out.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Renewables require a more dynamic grid, more energy storage, and a wider range of power sources to compensate for their intermittency.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
-
This week, Metro is set to unveil the first part of a nine-mile subway under Wilshire, one of the most dynamic and traffic-clogged stretches of Los Angeles.—
National Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Opportunistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opportunistic. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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