opportunistic

[ op-er-too-nis-tik, -tyoo- ]

/ ˌɒp ər tuˈnɪs tɪk, -tyu- /

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See synonyms for opportunistic on Thesaurus.com

adjective

adhering to a policy of opportunism; practicing opportunism.

Pathology.

(of a microorganism) causing disease only under certain conditions, as when a person's immune system is impaired.
(of a disease or infection) caused by such an organism: Pneumocystis pneumonia is an opportunistic disease that often strikes victims of AIDS.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of opportunistic

First recorded in 1890–95; opportunist + -ic

OTHER WORDS FROM opportunistic

op·por·tun·is·ti·cal·ly, adverbun·op·por·tun·is·tic, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH opportunistic

opportune, opportunistic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use opportunistic in a sentence

That’s because wildlife are opportunistic—once they obtain human food they will consistently return for more, Marion says.
Once you know what happens to food you leave outdoors, you’ll stop doing it|Alisha McDarris|January 14, 2021|Popular-Science
All in all, the team observed 15 snakes using lasso locomotion, including one opportunistic wild snake that raided a nest box that the researchers had been observing outside of their test arena.
These snakes wiggle up smooth poles by turning their bodies into ‘lassoes’|Kate Baggaley|January 13, 2021|Popular-Science
The government also fixed the price of face masks to prevent opportunistic vendors from price gouging.
These Asian countries have masterfully limited COVID outbreaks. Here’s how they did it|Naomi Xu Elegant|December 28, 2020|Fortune
To be sure, America’s own approach to global democracy has largely been opportunistic.
Butterfly Effect: Who’s the Sh*thole Now?|Charu Kasturi|November 4, 2020|Ozy

They can also be utilized opportunistically to whip up anger against political enemies.
The Curious Case of Countries Where Being Gay Is a Crime|James Kirchick|January 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We now have more capital than we anticipated, [which will] allow us to opportunistically build what we have not been able to do.
A $125 Billion (Taxpayer) Gamble|William D. Cohan|October 20, 2008|DAILY BEAST
We must go at it seriously and scientifically and solidly, not superficially, casually, and opportunistically.
New York Times Current History; The European War, Vol 2, No. 2, May, 1915|Various

British Dictionary definitions for opportunistic

opportunistic

/ (ˌɒpətjʊˈnɪstɪk) /

adjective

of or characterized by opportunism

med (of an infection) caused by any microorganism that is harmless to a healthy person but debilitates a person whose immune system has been weakened by disease or drug treatment

Derived forms of opportunistic

opportunistically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

opportunistic

Origin of opportunistic

OTHER WORDS FROM opportunistic

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH opportunistic

Words related to opportunistic

How to use opportunistic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for opportunistic

Derived forms of opportunistic