opportunist
noun
op·por·tun·ist
ˌä-pər-ˈtü-nist 
-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 labor—
Allan Ulrich
Allan UlrichMost burglars are opportunists.
opportunist
adjective
Synonyms
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
Governor Gavin Newsom has deployed the California National Guard and military police to LA County to protect residents from looters, arsonists, and other criminal opportunists.
—John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
The cynical case is that Zuckerberg is a hollow opportunist who wishes to ingratiate himself with the new administration.
—The Editors, National Review, 8 Jan. 2025
Far more than a mere villain, Macrinus is a saboteur and opportunist in this Roman Empire epic, where those taken as slaves are forced to fight in an arena before an audience with a grim outcome: kill or be killed.
—Ronda Racha Penrice, NBC News, 22 Nov. 2024
While often associated with stock market predictions and opportunist market plays, it is more widely used to highlight unusual activities across various financial systems, including payments, trading and regulatory compliance.
—Bhavdeep Sethi, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opportunist 
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.
John Mac Ghlionn, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
The cynical case is that Zuckerberg is a hollow opportunist who wishes to ingratiate himself with the new administration.
—The Editors, National Review, 8 Jan. 2025
Far more than a mere villain, Macrinus is a saboteur and opportunist in this Roman Empire epic, where those taken as slaves are forced to fight in an arena before an audience with a grim outcome: kill or be killed.
—Ronda Racha Penrice, NBC News, 22 Nov. 2024
While often associated with stock market predictions and opportunist market plays, it is more widely used to highlight unusual activities across various financial systems, including payments, trading and regulatory compliance.
—Bhavdeep Sethi, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opportunist
Dictionary Entries Near opportunist
Cite this Entry
“Opportunist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportunist. Accessed 17 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
opportunist
noun
op·por·tun·ist
-ˈt(y)ü-nəst
: one that is opportunistic or that practices opportunism
opportunist
adjective
Medical Definition
opportunist
noun
op·por·tun·ist
ˌäp-ər-ˈt(y)ü-nəst
: an opportunistic microorganism
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share