opportunist

noun

op·​por·​tun·​ist ˌä-pər-ˈtü-nist How to pronounce opportunist (audio)
-ˈtyü-
: one that is opportunistic or that practices opportunism
a slick, shady, amoral opportunist who has only one desire: to get through life without a day of laborAllan Ulrich
Most burglars are opportunists.
opportunist adjective

Examples of opportunist in a Sentence

a political opportunist who changed his health-care plan to win the election ever the opportunist, she immediately set about becoming the incoming administrator's new best friend
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
With the landscape so distorted by the high rollers and opportunists, many displaced by the Palisades fire don’t even stand a chance on the West Side. Bridget Read, Curbed, 15 Jan. 2025 The higher-than-average incomes of people forced to leave their homes there appear to have tempted opportunists, who see a chance to make money from others' misery. CBS News, 12 Jan. 2025 While opportunist conservatives frame trans participation in sports as an urgent issue, transgender athletes make up less than half of 1 percent of high school competitors. Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025 Bootleg merch and non-commercial use Riles & Company has been known to aggressively defend its trademarks by taking legal action against opportunist entrepreneurs hawking unauthorized three-peat products. Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 9 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for opportunist

Word History

Etymology

opportun(ism) + -ist entry 1, probably after French opportuniste

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of opportunist was in 1873

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Opportunist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportunist. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

opportunist

noun
op·​por·​tun·​ist -ˈt(y)ü-nəst How to pronounce opportunist (audio)
: one that is opportunistic or that practices opportunism
opportunist adjective

Medical Definition

opportunist

noun
op·​por·​tun·​ist ˌäp-ər-ˈt(y)ü-nəst How to pronounce opportunist (audio)
: an opportunistic microorganism

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