1
as in chameleon
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
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2
as in bottom-feeder
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
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Recent Examples of opportunist
Bill is an opportunist, publicity hound and narcissist, according to his ex-wife, Dani.
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Joe Otterson, Variety, 25 Oct. 2024
Such missed chances sit uncomfortably alongside a view of Putin as a master opportunist.
—Peter Schroeder, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2024
Edge was the devil on Cena’s shoulder, an opportunist who tried to undercut Cena’s perseverance.
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 18 July 2024
Rhee noted that such privileges have fed into less favorable views of Korean Americans as spoiled opportunists — fair-weather Koreans who had left the country when things were tough only to return now that the going is good.
—Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opportunist 
Joe Otterson, Variety, 25 Oct. 2024
Such missed chances sit uncomfortably alongside a view of Putin as a master opportunist.
—Peter Schroeder, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2024
Edge was the devil on Cena’s shoulder, an opportunist who tried to undercut Cena’s perseverance.
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 18 July 2024
Rhee noted that such privileges have fed into less favorable views of Korean Americans as spoiled opportunists — fair-weather Koreans who had left the country when things were tough only to return now that the going is good.
—Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for opportunist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opportunist
Noun
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This unexpected paint application is a total chameleon.Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Dec. 2024
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Impact is the chameleon of corporate speak—a word that changes color to match its surroundings while revealing nothing about its true nature.Renae Gregoire, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
Noun
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He’s been a significant reason the Penguins have gone from a bottom-feeder going into Thanksgiving week to a postseason contender heading into the New Year.Rob Rossi, The Athletic, 28 Dec. 2024
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Stock way down Cody Ceci, Klim Kostin Going from a Stanley Cup finalist in Edmonton to a recent bottom-feeder with San Jose was going to do a number on Ceci’s metrics.Eric Stephens, The Athletic, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Or, consider the Greenland shark–the longest living vertebrate known to science, capable of living up to 500 years.Scott Travers, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2024
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The title is a reference to a Happy Days episode in which Fonzie—played by Winker—jumped over a shark while water-skiing.Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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At times, egoists can approach absurdity and drag their countries into outright disaster.Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2019
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McCarthy’s difficulties highlighted the power of hard-right extremists and social-media egoists among the fragile Republican majority in the House.Steve Coll, The New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2023
Thesaurus Entries Near opportunist
Cite this Entry
“Opportunist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opportunist. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.
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