opportunistic
adjective
op·por·tu·nis·tic
ˌä-pər-tü-ˈni-stik 
-tyü-
: taking advantage of opportunities as they arise: such as
a
: exploiting opportunities with little regard to principle (see principle sense 1) or consequences
a politician considered opportunistic
an opportunistic investment
b
: feeding on whatever food is available
opportunistic feeders
opportunistic bears
c
: being or caused by a usually harmless microorganism that can become pathogenic when the host's resistance is impaired
opportunistic infections
opportunistic diseases
Examples of opportunistic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Its views are not opportunistic or transient; anti-Americanism and antipathy toward Israel are ingrained in the Islamic Republic’s bedrock.
—
Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
The move is cynical, opportunistic, and counterproductive.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 6 Apr. 2024
Sounds just like 2019, when the Brewers signed Mike Moustakas and Yasmani Grandal to high-average annual value, short-term deals: a chance to be opportunistic.
—Journal Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2024
Instead, Point72 is known for identifying opportunistic investments that other firms may have missed, and making large, concentrated bets on them.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Mar. 2024
Experts who spoke to ABC News said the stock boom stands divorced from the financial condition of the company, instead reflecting a buying spree among Trump supporters as well as opportunistic traders capitalizing on the momentum.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2024
Some of it is organized, some of it is opportunistic, but most of it is desperate.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
No need to tip the hooks with squid or shrimp, but get your baits aboard quickly, as opportunistic king mackerel and barracuda love helping themselves to an easy meal.
—David A. Brown, Field & Stream, 7 Mar. 2024
In a recent case concerning share buybacks, the Fifth Circuit vacated the rule in December 2023 after the SEC didn’t respond to comments and didn’t show that opportunistic stock buybacks were a genuine problem that needed to be solved by the commission.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024
Suzanne Maloney, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
The move is cynical, opportunistic, and counterproductive.
—Matthew Continetti, National Review, 6 Apr. 2024
Sounds just like 2019, when the Brewers signed Mike Moustakas and Yasmani Grandal to high-average annual value, short-term deals: a chance to be opportunistic.
—Journal Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2024
Instead, Point72 is known for identifying opportunistic investments that other firms may have missed, and making large, concentrated bets on them.
—Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Mar. 2024
Experts who spoke to ABC News said the stock boom stands divorced from the financial condition of the company, instead reflecting a buying spree among Trump supporters as well as opportunistic traders capitalizing on the momentum.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2024
Some of it is organized, some of it is opportunistic, but most of it is desperate.
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
No need to tip the hooks with squid or shrimp, but get your baits aboard quickly, as opportunistic king mackerel and barracuda love helping themselves to an easy meal.
—David A. Brown, Field & Stream, 7 Mar. 2024
In a recent case concerning share buybacks, the Fifth Circuit vacated the rule in December 2023 after the SEC didn’t respond to comments and didn’t show that opportunistic stock buybacks were a genuine problem that needed to be solved by the commission.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'opportunistic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
First Known Use
1892, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near opportunistic
Cite this Entry
“Opportunistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/opportunistic. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
opportunistic
noun
op·por·tu·nis·tic
-t(y)ü-ˈnis-tik
: taking advantage of opportunities as they arise: as
a
: exploiting opportunities with little regard to principle or consequences
an opportunistic cheater
b
: feeding on whatever food is available
opportunistic feeders
Medical Definition
opportunistic
adjective
op·por·tu·nist·ic
-t(y)ü-ˈnis-tik
1
: of, relating to, or being a microorganism that is usually harmless but can become pathogenic when the host's resistance to disease is impaired
2
: of, relating to, or being an infection or disease caused by an opportunistic organism
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and other opportunistic infections that kill AIDS patients—New York Times
New York Times
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