Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit; practising opportunism.
- adjective (Med.) Causing disease only when the immune system of the host has been weakened, or other damage to the host provides special opportunity for invasion; -- of microorganisms or infectious diseases.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective
taking advantage ofsituations that arise - adjective said of people who will
take advantage of situations to advance their own interests, without regard for principles
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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She said her client was ashamed of the act, which he described as "opportunistic."
Judges Give Harsh Sentences to Offenders, Citing Public Disorder Paul Sonne 2011
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ZAHN: David, let's come back to this opportunist, what you called opportunistic intelligence that led to this strike last night.
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For his part, Harper - who triggered an election in 2008 just as the recession was taking hold - is now saying Canada doesn't need what he calls an "opportunistic" election when the focus should be on the economy.
Thestar.com - Home Page Les Whittington 2011
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Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his ministers have repeatedly said they won't spark what they call an "opportunistic" election.
Thestar.com - Home Page Bruce Campion-Smith 2011
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Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his ministers have repeatedly said they won't spark what they call an "opportunistic" election.
Thestar.com - Home Page Bruce Campion-Smith 2011
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"We also get a fair amount of what you call opportunistic business," he says.
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"We also get a fair amount of what you call opportunistic business," he says.
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"We also get a fair amount of what you call opportunistic business," he says.
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It's as if the "morality" of their adaptation, craven and opportunistic, is reflected in how they look.
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Chalk it up to my cynical view of elected officials at the highest levels of government, or attribute it to my disdain for the word opportunistic as in "exploiting opportunities and situations in general, especially in a devious, unscrupulous or unprincipled way," but I'm more thrilled than University of Alabama football fans right now that all but one of the Washington staffers for Rep. Griffith have resigned to protest his switch.
Derrick K. Baker: When Opportunity Knocks, Don't Fence-Sit 2010
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