OPPORTUNISTIC Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

opportunistic

adjective

Definition of opportunistic

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 Beyond breaking from their own organization’s history, the Teamsters lawsuit is an opportunistic attempt to block innovation. — Mark Dalton, Oc Register, 26 Aug. 2026 Berkshire, Apple and ExxonMobil are pursuing different strategies, optionality and opportunistic investment, capital returns, and a combination of reinvestment and shareholder distributions but each illustrates the same principle. — Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 The opportunistic raccoon tickled many people online, with viewers calling the raccoon a rat in disguise and commenting on the price of hot dogs at the New York City stadium. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026 After years of being a defensive specialist who dabbled in being a playmaker, rebounder and opportunistic scorer, the 29-year-old has emerged as a bonafide bucket-getter for a team with title aspirations in just its second season of existence. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for opportunistic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for opportunistic

Adjective

Andersen in particular has struggled with such an aggressive role, where recovery pace and stomping channel defending are required to keep the shape.

— Thom Harris, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Brown has two catches that converted third downs into firsts, providing a release valve against some aggressive Seahawks blitzes.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of aggressive

Adjective

Meanwhile, overtime can lead to fatigue for workers who are spending 10 to 12 hours on their feet, carrying heavy objects while also needing to remain diligent about their own safety.

— Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2026
Indeed, by the third act, a diligent archival documentary becomes humanist lightning in a bottle, illuminating the similarities between the ’90s and now.

— Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of diligent

Adjective

For the people who loved the Detroit native and aspiring actress -- her mother, Katie Mattic, and sisters Jean Neal, Frances Douglas, Vivian Mattic and Virgie Binford -- that means tying up the loose ends of Margaret's life.

— Nicole Avery Nichols, Freep.com, 11 Sep. 2026
Tim was an aspiring playwright, who held several jobs throughout his life.

— Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of aspiring

Adjective

Loosehead Boris Wenger and backrow Joaquin Moro were industrious and both scored tries while fullback Geronimo Piscatelli was a constant attacking threat, scoring one try and missing two others.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
Alongside his final-third prowess, Fernandes was industrious across the pitch, playing eight passes into the final third per game, more than any other United player.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of industrious

Adjective

This feature helped enable what Nokia researchers called kiosks—informal pay-per-call services, in which an enterprising phone subscriber charged neighbors and family members by the minute for use of the device.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 13 July 2026
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

Definition of enterprising

Adjective

Their dynamic guys outside looked scary and like Oregon is going to be more explosive this year than in 2025.

— The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Each one of her novels presents a different setting and dynamic, but her oeuvre is unified by careful thought, sharp style, and an uncanny ability to make the pages want to turn.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of dynamic

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“Opportunistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opportunistic. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of opportunistic

adjective

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