1
as in chameleons
a person who dexterously and expediently changes or adopts opinions
ever the opportunist, she immediately set about becoming the incoming administrator's new best friend
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in bottom-feeders
one who does things only for his own benefit and with little regard for right and wrong
an opportunist who makes friends and then drops them as soon as they aren't useful anymore
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of opportunists
Some residents allege illnesses like Ebola are elevated by opportunists trying to profit.
—
Ope Adetayo, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
As pressure mounts to identify the gunman, opportunists emerge from every corner, eager to exploit the chaos and dismantle the empire Madam fought to build.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 2 June 2026
The Boys – Season 5 (Prime Video) Things have gone from bad to worse in the final season of The Boys, Prime Video’s irreverent superhero satire about America succumbing to charismatic despots and fascistic opportunists.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Some of the backlash is predicated on harmful stereotypes about trans women that portray them as predatory opportunists.
—Jenna Norosky, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026
The move has prompted a flurry of skepticism and controversy—including an accusation of plagiarism—in a scene wary of trend-hopping, post-Brat opportunists.
—Lydia Wei, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026
Straight men are just catching up, vanity-wise, and political opportunists have eagerly fed into their insecurities.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
The exploitation of American history by Beck and the opportunists in his orbit is nothing new.
—Alexis Coe, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026
The defense sought to depict the victims as opportunists out for cash, a narrative that didn’t stand up, with the feds pointing out only two of the women were involved in a litany of outstanding lawsuits.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2026
Ope Adetayo, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
As pressure mounts to identify the gunman, opportunists emerge from every corner, eager to exploit the chaos and dismantle the empire Madam fought to build.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 2 June 2026
The Boys – Season 5 (Prime Video) Things have gone from bad to worse in the final season of The Boys, Prime Video’s irreverent superhero satire about America succumbing to charismatic despots and fascistic opportunists.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Some of the backlash is predicated on harmful stereotypes about trans women that portray them as predatory opportunists.
—Jenna Norosky, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2026
The move has prompted a flurry of skepticism and controversy—including an accusation of plagiarism—in a scene wary of trend-hopping, post-Brat opportunists.
—Lydia Wei, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026
Straight men are just catching up, vanity-wise, and political opportunists have eagerly fed into their insecurities.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
The exploitation of American history by Beck and the opportunists in his orbit is nothing new.
—Alexis Coe, Vanity Fair, 18 Mar. 2026
The defense sought to depict the victims as opportunists out for cash, a narrative that didn’t stand up, with the feds pointing out only two of the women were involved in a litany of outstanding lawsuits.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opportunists
Noun
-
Even better, these sleek shoes act as closet chameleons, blending seamlessly with everything from office outfits to errands ensembles without issue.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
2 June 2026
-
Think of this as the way chameleons change color to blend into their surroundings for protection.—
Rabbi Bruce D. Forman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
These sharks are thought to be bottom-feeders, preying on fish that frequent the floors of rivers and estuaries.—
John P. Rafferty,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The Warriors already might be too far ahead in the standings to catch bottom-feeders like the New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers in the race to maximize their draft-lottery odds.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The organisers can be international crime conglomerates or opportunistic chancers, its markets veering from last-minute own goals to a couple of extra throw-ins.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
4 June 2026
-
But because anybody can edit any page at any time, some editors are chancers or people with an ax to grind who will try to input wrong information.—
Imogen West-Knights,
The Dial,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
This wild area includes sharks, which have existed for more than 400 million years.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
9 June 2026
-
Conservationists at Shark Trust in Plymouth, England, have specialized in the safeguarding of sharks and stingrays since 1997.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
The adage about egoists who want to be the bride at every wedding proved literally true.—
Danny Heitman,
Christian Science Monitor,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Opportunists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opportunists. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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