opportunist

American  

[op-er-too-nist, -tyoo-] / ˌɒp ərˈtu nɪst, -ˈtyu- /

noun

1. a person who practices opportunism, or the policy of adapting actions, decisions, etc., to effectiveness regardless of the sacrifice of ethical principles.

   He is an extreme opportunist and always thinks the ends justify the means.

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opportunist British  

/ ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪst /

noun

1. a person who adapts his actions, responses, etc, to take advantage of opportunities, circumstances, etc

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adjective

1. taking advantage of opportunities and circumstances in this way

Other Word Forms

• opportunism noun

Etymology

Origin of opportunist

First recorded in 1865–70; opportun(ism) ( def. ) + -ist ( def. )

Example Sentences

It’s early, and the contest will attract upstarts, insurgents and opportunists.

From The Wall Street Journal

He warned of opportunists and said law enforcement had made an arrest over an “impostor ransom demand.”

From The Wall Street Journal

She may be a conniving opportunist; she may be an abused and desperate woman simply hoping for a better life.

From The Wall Street Journal

In “Werckmeister Harmonies,” another opportunist visits another desperate town, this time accompanying a traveling exhibit of a preserved whale.

From Los Angeles Times

Such opportunists will introduce inefficiency into the flow of traffic, and thousands of them—each driver trying to shave a few seconds off his trip—will slow everything down.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• carpetbagger