opportunist

/ˌɒpə(ɹ)ˈtjuːnɪst/

//ˌɒpə(ɹ)ˈtjuːnɪst// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"opportunist" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“opportunist” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #38,532. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#38,532
frequency rank, English
1,431
“O” headwords
15
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Someone who takes advantage of any opportunity to advance their own situation, placing expediency above principle.

Corpus desk

Index EN-opportunist · opportunist · English

opportunist · rank #38,532 · 15 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #38,532
  • LEN-MEGA 11 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 15 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,431
  • PHOTO-FINISH Opie

Nearest frequency peer: Opie (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “opportunist”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “opportunist” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

opportunist vs opportunity
82% similar
opportunist vs opportunistic
85% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for opportunist
PropertyValue
Headwordopportunist
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˌɒpə(ɹ)ˈtjuːnɪst/
Letters11
Frequency rank#38,532
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “opportunist”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).opportunistlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “Opie” (#38,531), “orifice” (#38,533), “ornamentation” (#38,534). Among 1,431 “O” headwords, “opportunist” is #38,532. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around opportunist (IPA /ˌɒpə(ɹ)ˈtjuːnɪst/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #38,532 among 1,431 “O” headwords. Dominant gloss: "Someone who takes advantage of any opportunity to advance their own situation, placing expediency above principle.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for opportunist, with forms such as "opoprtunist", "oportunist", and "opporrtunist". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "opportunity", "opportunistic", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French opportuniste, equivalent to opportune + -ist. The correct English form is opportunist, spelled O-P-P-O-R-T-U-N-I-S-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Someone who takes advantage of any opportunity to advance their own situation, placing expediency above principle.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how opportunist appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. James Milner's angled free-kick was headed on to the post by the tireless Bent and Lampard the opportunist was perfectly placed to stoop and head in from virtually on the goal-line.

Etymology

From French opportuniste, equivalent to opportune + -ist.

Synonyms

chancer

This word in other languages

oportunista(Español)opportuniste(Français)Opportunist(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • opoprtunist
  • oportunist
  • opporrtunist
  • opportnuist
  • opporttunist
  • opportuinst
  • opportunisst
  • opportunistt
  • opportunits
  • opportunnist
  • opportunsit
  • opporutnist
  • oppotrunist
  • opprotunist
  • poportunist

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of opportunist - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

opoprtunist2oportunist1opporrtunist1opportnuist2opporttunist1opportuinst2opportunisst1opportunistt1
Edit distance from "opportunist"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "opportunist"?
"opportunist" is spelled O-P-P-O-R-T-U-N-I-S-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɒpə(ɹ)ˈtjuːnɪst/.
What does "opportunist" mean?
As a noun, "opportunist" means: Someone who takes advantage of any opportunity to advance their own situation, placing expediency above principle.
What words are commonly confused with "opportunist"?
"opportunist" is commonly confused with "opportunity", "opportunistic". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "opportunist"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "opportunist" is /ˌɒpə(ɹ)ˈtjuːnɪst/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "opportunist"?
From French opportuniste, equivalent to opportune + -ist. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "opportunist", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 11 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

monstrosity#38,505radicalized#38,570judgemental#38,456irrevocably#38,448

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (15 here; floor ≥5).

redeemable15 variantsLindbergh15 variantsSevastopol15 variantsindecision15 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list