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
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
The Jags are equal opportunists in their one-score adventures.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Such disingenuous opportunists should be shunned and condemned.
—Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 7 Oct. 2025
That liminal space is a perfect breeding ground for pitchmen and opportunists.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2025
The fear Lightfoot had of being perceived as an opportunist, especially by the families, was dispelled.
—John U. Bacon, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
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.
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Such disingenuous opportunists should be shunned and condemned.
—Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 7 Oct. 2025
That liminal space is a perfect breeding ground for pitchmen and opportunists.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2025
The fear Lightfoot had of being perceived as an opportunist, especially by the families, was dispelled.
—John U. Bacon, Rolling Stone, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opportunist
Cite this Entry
“Opportunist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportunist. Accessed 18 Oct. 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