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
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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
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Recent Examples of opportunists
With the deadline for New York’s Gender-Motivated Violence Act expiring tomorrow, opportunists are scrambling to file last-minute, meritless claims.
—
Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 28 Feb. 2025
This lack of faith (and outright animus) toward institutions and public servants has allowed grifters, would-be oligarchs, and cynical political opportunists to fill the void.
—Adam Chandler, TIME, 20 Feb. 2025
In practice, leaders will need to be mindful opportunists.
—World Economic Forum, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
Stop electing these opportunists, and please run candidates that care about our state and its citizens.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 17 Jan. 2025
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
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 blame game, especially targeting Governor Gavin Newsom, has become a favorite pastime for Republicans and social media opportunists.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
The confusion surrounding Holmes stands as a cautionary tale about the manipulation of copyright law—not by opportunists exploiting a valuable piece of intellectual property, but by the character’s official custodians.
—Alec Nevala-Lee, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 28 Feb. 2025
This lack of faith (and outright animus) toward institutions and public servants has allowed grifters, would-be oligarchs, and cynical political opportunists to fill the void.
—Adam Chandler, TIME, 20 Feb. 2025
In practice, leaders will need to be mindful opportunists.
—World Economic Forum, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
Stop electing these opportunists, and please run candidates that care about our state and its citizens.
—Letters To The Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 17 Jan. 2025
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
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 blame game, especially targeting Governor Gavin Newsom, has become a favorite pastime for Republicans and social media opportunists.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
The confusion surrounding Holmes stands as a cautionary tale about the manipulation of copyright law—not by opportunists exploiting a valuable piece of intellectual property, but by the character’s official custodians.
—Alec Nevala-Lee, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Opportunists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opportunists. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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