Word
opportunistic
Phoneticsop·por·tunis·tic
US/ˌɑpɝˌtuˈnɪstɪk/
UK/ɒpətjuːnˈɪstɪk/
Definition
adj. taking advantage of a situation to get what you want, often without thinking about what is right or fair.
adj. exploiting circumstances to gain an immediate advantage, often regardless of principles or consequences. Frequently describes behavior that is pragmatic rather than planned.
Examples
“He made an opportunistic grab for the last seat on the bus.”
“The politician's opportunistic shift in policy was clearly designed to win over voters just weeks before the election.”
“In the absence of a strong central government, various opportunistic factions began seizing control of local resources to consolidate their own power bases.”
Examples
simple
“He made an opportunistic grab for the last seat on the bus.”
contextual
“The politician's opportunistic shift in policy was clearly designed to win over voters just weeks before the election.”
complex
“In the absence of a strong central government, various opportunistic factions began seizing control of local resources to consolidate their own power bases.”
Usage
Commonly used in both political and biological contexts; in biology, it describes organisms that thrive when conditions suddenly become favorable.
Real-World Examples
“If a post van turns up unannounced, a crowd can form, creating a target for an opportunistic Russian drone operator.” “But the scientists said that their findings do suggest that these "opportunistic" baleen whales appear to be adapting and might even be benefiting from the change.” Etymology
From opportunist + -ic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
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englishreference.com/q/opportunistic