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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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of opportunist Ethics experts worried that opportunists could try to curry favor by booking stays at Mr. Trump’s network of hotels, golf clubs and other properties. Karen Yourish, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025 Rendezvous Views The Island has been infused with an abundance of Bars, and now every opportunist is out to hit the jackpot including the ruthless crime kingpin Fletcher Kane. Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 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 See All Example Sentences for opportunist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opportunist
Noun
  • This time, the moment required the Gators (36-4) to become chameleons.
    Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Newsom, who has a reputation for being a political chameleon, didn’t want to get caught in the minority of what is basically an 80-20 issue.
    Caroline Downey, National Review, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • And a lot of them are like the rig shark — smaller bottom-feeders, eaten by larger sharks and humans alike.
    Julie Depenbrock, NPR, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Decades before the memes and punchlines, the Broward native spawned a fictional franchise populated by preposterous oddballs, bottom-feeders and other shadowy denizens of the Sunshine State.
    Mark Gauert, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Saya de Malha Bank offers safe haven to an unprecedented biodiversity of seagrass habitats for turtles and breeding grounds for sharks, humpback and blue whales.
    Christian Orozco, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2025
  • This elusive shark, previously known only from fish markets, was recorded at depths of over 1,700 feet.
    Stories by Real-Time news team, with AI summarization, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • At times, egoists can approach absurdity and drag their countries into outright disaster.
    Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2019
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Opportunist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opportunist. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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