1
as in chameleon
a person who dexterously and expediently changes or adopts opinions
the kind of temporizer who determines his position on a political issue by taking a look at the polls
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in machinator
one who does things only for his own benefit and with little regard for right and wrong
a lifelong temporizer, he was for the war as long as it was popular and against it the minute the tide of public opinion went the other way
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temporizer
Noun
-
That’s French fashion historian Olivier Saillard speaking about Tilda Swinton, a chameleon in acting, fashion and more who is getting her own exhibition this fall at the Eye Filmmuseum in Amsterdam, alongside screenings, performances and live conversations.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
6 Sep. 2025 -
These wardrobe chameleons can easily transition from a casual day look to an evening out.—
Christina Holevas,
Vogue,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Here are some methods for scraping good music from the data wasteland, organized in a hierarchy from bottom-feeder basics to more sophisticated and ultimately, uhh, harebrained strategies.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
31 July 2025
-
With the July 31 trade deadline only two weeks beyond the Atlanta All-Star Game, contenders and would-be contenders are eying the rosters of bottom-feeders to fill the few holes on their rosters.—
Dan Schlossberg,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
In the end, ever an opportunist, Alvarez testified Oppenheimer was loyal to his country, yet wrong on nukes.—
Christopher Borrelli,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Freelance hunters planning to travel to this region should plan on being opportunists.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Even back on board, the show continues after dark, with pelicans and reef sharks drawn to the yacht’s lights and sea lions sometimes clambering onto the aft deck.—
Rachel Ingram,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
These included Tralalero Tralala, a three-legged shark with blue Nikes; Tung Tung Tung Sahur, an anthropomorphic wood plank; and Ballerina Cappuccina, a cup of golden-brown coffee in a pink bodice.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
10 Sep. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Temporizer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temporizer. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share