opportunist

noun

op·​por·​tun·​ist ˌä-pər-ˈtü-nist How to pronounce opportunist (audio)
-ˈtyü-
Synonyms of opportunist
: 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
Most burglars are opportunists.
opportunist adjective

Synonyms of opportunist

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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.
Outside investors demanding asset sales, larger dividends or changes in management were often portrayed as short-term opportunists that are more interested in extracting cash than building enduring businesses. — Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 Those opportunists are rumen microbes called methanogens, and their waste product is methane, a notoriously powerful heat-trapping greenhouse gas. — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 27 July 2026 Even Argentina’s fans could not tell to what extent their team’s support was real or made up of opportunists who had come to see the great man. — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 20 July 2026 In a review of tap-to-pay cases across the country, CNBC found a mix of low-level opportunists and organized crime rings. — Gabrielle Fonrouge,scott Zamost,anna Gleason, CNBC, 17 July 2026 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

Rhymes for opportunist

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Browse Nearby Words

opportunism
opportunist
opportunistic
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Cite this Entry

“Opportunist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportunist. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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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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