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 predators that hunt mostly at night and feed on more than 100 species of fish — Atka mackerel, pollock, salmon and cod among them — plus cephalopods like squid and octopus.
—
Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
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
These have all been opportunistic samples from taxidermists.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for opportunistic
Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
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
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
-
The Boston Red Sox could be aggressive, and have the prospects to swing a deal.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
-
In 1981, reggae artist Bob Marley died in a Miami hospital at age 36 after battling an aggressive skin cancer.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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In the end, after a monthslong investigation and diligent forensic work, partial remains of 70 of the 110 victims were identified and returned to family members who, to this day, carry the pain of that day in 1996.—
Hank Tester,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
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The Devil’s Chair Trail was previously closed because of storm damage, but reopened about two weeks ago, thanks to the diligent work of county staff.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
SeriesFest and Shondaland also partnered on the seventh cycle of the Women Directing Mentorship, a competition designed to discover aspiring female directors with a unique voice and provide a launchpad for their careers.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
12 May 2026
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Noelle Lewis is living a few lives as an aspiring librarian by day and professional bridesmaid-for-hire by necessity.—
Erin La Rosa,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 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
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All Stanford students are ambitious, but many of the most enterprising among them drop out.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Certainly, the images themselves are striking and dramatic, defined by strong shadows and a dynamic sensibility, with bodies constantly in motion.—
Amy Reyes,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
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Many stayed, putting down roots that grew into multigenerational farming families who continue to shape the region’s dynamic food scene.—
Vivian Chung,
Travel + Leisure,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Opportunistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opportunistic. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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