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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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
What’s really happening is that Toto made a timely — if opportunistic — play into the space around AI chip manufacturing.
—
Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 4 June 2026
Information about treatments for the many opportunistic infections that HIV made people vulnerable to was gathered in the early years by those under threat.
—Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 3 June 2026
The company’s opportunistic share repurchases, including a $1 billion increase to its buyback authorization in February, didn’t help the stock.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 2 June 2026
Christian Plowman of the International Fund for Animal Welfare told the AP that the scale of the operation points to something far more coordinated than opportunistic smuggling.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for opportunistic
Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 4 June 2026
Information about treatments for the many opportunistic infections that HIV made people vulnerable to was gathered in the early years by those under threat.
—Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 3 June 2026
The company’s opportunistic share repurchases, including a $1 billion increase to its buyback authorization in February, didn’t help the stock.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 2 June 2026
Christian Plowman of the International Fund for Animal Welfare told the AP that the scale of the operation points to something far more coordinated than opportunistic smuggling.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for opportunistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opportunistic
Adjective
-
That was a fun one, with both teams staying aggressive throughout the match.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
-
That more aggressive posture has been exemplified in Lewis George's smaller jousts with the mayor over housing and public safety policies, too.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
So, that conversation was interesting given Adem’s diligent research and my memory.—
Jim Ryan,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
Some information has been presented in court filings or uncovered by journalists and by one especially diligent state legislator, Anna Eskamani, from Orlando.—
Eric Schlosser,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
In 2000, Cameron Crowe released Almost Famous, his acclaimed semi-autobiographical drama about a 15-year-old aspiring journalist who lands a dream gig profiling an emerging rock band for Rolling Stone.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
-
For aspiring buyers, the geographic spread matters.—
Kamal Morgan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Gardeners know pollinators are essential, especially those industrious bees buzzing tirelessly in and out of squash blossoms and trumpet vines.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
7 June 2026
-
While the floor-to-ceiling windows in each room provide an industrious look at Atlanta’s train systems, juxtaposed with the bright lights of the bustling Howell Mill Road corridor.—
Mike Jordan,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 May 2026
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
-
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
Adjective
-
Esports is one of the most dynamic cultural movements of our time.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
18 June 2026
-
Opposition to that measure has been particularly fierce in the technology and biotech sectors, whose representatives say tax breaks for research allow for the kind of expensive bets on innovation that have long driven California’s dynamic economy.—
Andrew Graham,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Opportunistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opportunistic. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
