opportunism

op·por·tun·ism

O o

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [op-er-too-niz-uh m, -tyoo-]
- /ˌɒp ərˈtu nɪz əm, -ˈtyu-/
- /ˌɒp.əˈtjuː.nɪ.zəm/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [op-er-too-niz-uh m, -tyoo-]
- /ˌɒp ərˈtu nɪz əm, -ˈtyu-/

Definitions of opportunism word

noun opportunism the policy or practice, as in politics, business, or one's personal affairs, of adapting actions, decisions, etc., to expediency or effectiveness regardless of the sacrifice of ethical principles. 1
noun opportunism action or judgment in accordance with this policy. 1
noun opportunism The taking of opportunities as and when they arise, regardless of planning or principle. 1
noun opportunism exploitation, expediency 1
uncountable noun opportunism If you refer to someone's behaviour as opportunism, you are criticizing them for taking advantage of any opportunity that occurs in order to gain money or power, without thinking about whether their actions are right or wrong. 0
noun opportunism the practice or policy of adapting one's actions, judgments, etc. to circumstances, as in politics, in order to further one's immediate interests, without regard for basic principles or eventual consequences 0

See all 6 definitions of opportunism

Information block about the term

Origin of opportunism

First appearance:

before 1865

One of the 28% newest English words

1865-70; < Italian opportunismo, equivalent to opportun(o) (< Latin opportūnus; see opportune) + -ismo -ism

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Opportunism

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Opportunism

opportunism popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 70% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

According to our data about 58% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.

opportunism usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for opportunism

noun opportunism

resourcefulness — able to deal skillfully and promptly with new situations, difficulties, etc.
unscrupulousness — not scrupulous; unrestrained by scruples; conscienceless; unprincipled.
cunning — Someone who is cunning has the ability to achieve things in a clever way, often by deceiving other people.
deviousness — The characteristic of being devious; sneakiness; underhandedness.
speculation — the contemplation or consideration of some subject: to engage in speculation on humanity's ultimate destiny.

All 13 Synonyms of opportunism