1
as in chameleons
a person who dexterously and expediently changes or adopts opinions
the kind of temporizer who determines his position on a political issue by taking a look at the polls
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in machinators
one who does things only for his own benefit and with little regard for right and wrong
a lifelong temporizer, he was for the war as long as it was popular and against it the minute the tide of public opinion went the other way
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temporizers
Noun
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Think of this as the way chameleons change color to blend into their surroundings for protection.—
Rabbi Bruce D. Forman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Feb. 2026 -
In the middle of this spectrum, a trio of mid-career stylistic chameleons and sometime collaborators — Feid, J Balvin, and Bad Bunny — carefully map out intersecting tastes.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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These sharks are thought to be bottom-feeders, preying on fish that frequent the floors of rivers and estuaries.—
John P. Rafferty,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 Mar. 2026
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The Warriors already might be too far ahead in the standings to catch bottom-feeders like the New Orleans Pelicans, Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers in the race to maximize their draft-lottery odds.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Straight men are just catching up, vanity-wise, and political opportunists have eagerly fed into their insecurities.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
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The exploitation of American history by Beck and the opportunists in his orbit is nothing new.—
Alexis Coe,
Vanity Fair,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The plot follows a coastal town decimated by a Category 5 hurricane, where the resulting storm surge brings with it a terrifying influx of hungry sharks.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Apr. 2026
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Scientists analyzed serum samples of tiger sharks, blacktip sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, Atlantic nurse sharks and lemon sharks.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
31 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Temporizers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temporizers. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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