Basic Details
Word: Opportunist
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A person who uses every chance to get an advantage for themselves, often without caring whether it is fair.
Synonyms: self-seeker
How to Spell Opportunist
Syllables: op - por - tu - nist
Tricky part: Two p's, then por, then tu. Students write oportunist or oppertunist.
Watch out for: oportunist, oppertunist, opportunest
Memory tip: Take opportunity, cut off ity and add ist. The port in the middle stays, like a ship waiting in port for its chance.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The opportunist raised his prices as soon as the rain started.
Example 2: The opportunist batter stole a quick single off every misfield.
Example 3: Don't trust him; he is an opportunist who only calls when he needs help.
Fun Fact
Scientists call crows, rats and many gulls opportunist feeders because they eat almost whatever food they find.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Read the four words. Choose the meaning of the only correctly spelt word:
1. pesimist 2. optimest 3. opportunist 4. idealest
a) someone who expects the worst
b) someone who expects good things to happen
c) someone who aims for perfect standards
d) a person who uses every chance for their own gain
Show answer
d) a person who uses every chance for their own gain. Optimist and idealist end in ist, and pessimist has a double s, so opportunist is the only correct word.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
opportunnist
a) n
b) r
c) p
d) t
Show answer
a) n. Opportunity has one n, and so does the person word.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
A clever tunpiropsot can turn even a crisis into profit.
a) protagonist
b) opportunist
c) opportunity
d) optimist
Show answer
b) opportunist. Opportunity ends in y, while optimist and protagonist have only one p; the jumble has two.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. An opportunist is most interested in ____.
a) helping strangers
b) keeping rules
c) other people's needs
d) their own advantage
Show answer
d) their own advantage
2. Which word is closest in meaning to opportunist?
a) volunteer
b) self-seeker
c) neighbour
d) beginner
Show answer
b) self-seeker
