opportunist

[ op-er-too-nist, -tyoo- ]

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.

opportunist

/ ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪst /

noun

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

adjective

1. taking advantage of opportunities and circumstances in this way

Derived Forms

• ˌopporˈtunism, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of opportunist¹

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

Example Sentences

During the three-week trial, Maxwell’s attorneys painted the four accusers as money-hungry opportunists, saying they changed their Epstein abuse stories to include Maxwell only when there was a chance to cash in.

From Washington Post

Political opportunists will use this case for race-baiting and fear-mongering to advance their own political agendas.

From Time

I mean, some are opportunists and some of them are really creating the problem wholesale.

From Freakonomics

They’re opportunists who claim to have found straightforward solutions to incredibly complicated problems and then sell those solutions to vulnerable people.

From Outside Online

For those who are simply opportunists or who actually believe the unfounded conspiracy theories, it’s a no-brainer.

From Washington Post

Kardashian, ever the opportunist, no doubt surveyed the gluteus landscape and wanted in on the cultural “conversation.”

From The Daily Beast

So is Sam Lutfi a legitimate manager or just a nasty opportunist?

From The Daily Beast

Ever the shape-shifter and opportunist, he ended his career as a high official in the very empire he had once helped defeat.

From The Daily Beast

Because, above all things he is the consummate ambitious opportunist.

From The Daily Beast

Hamad is the consummate survivor-opportunist, having built an empire out of blowing sand and natural gas, Allah and ambition.

From The Daily Beast

It has often and in many cases occurred to me to wonder at the mistakes men make;Was Aristaenus a traitor or a wise Opportunist?

From Project Gutenberg

Montezuma was therefore an opportunist, like Cortes, but there was a vast difference between them.

From Project Gutenberg

Although this presupposes a continuous struggle, it is not a revolutionary but an "opportunist" struggle.

From Project Gutenberg

He was a master of statecraft and an opportunist in politics.

From Project Gutenberg

The King was the opportunist, Olof the idealist, and Gert the "impossibilist."

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• carpetbagger