Hello An opportunist is a person who wants to take advantage of a situation just for himself without any consideration for others... You can use also the word "calculator" or even on the worst case "machiavellian" or "manipulator" You must avoid someone with a such behaviour...

Slang terms for an opportunist are below: Scammer- eg internet scammers such as emails from Nigeria scabber [ Australian slang] self-seeker backscratcher - someone who is willing to trade favors or services for mutual advantage bottom feeder - an opportunist who profits from the misfortunes of others carpetbagger - an outsider who seeks power or success presumptuously; "after the Civil War the carpetbaggers from the north tried to take over the south" wheeler dealer, hustler, operator - a shrewd or unscrupulous person who knows how to circumvent difficulties selfish person - a person who is unusually selfish timeserver - one who conforms to current ways and opinions for personal advantage

Hi, the noun 'opportunist' means a person who adapts his actions to take advantage of other people, opportunities, circumstances, etc.

Hello Murongfeixue, About the part that confuses you: Well, yes the 'backscratcher' presents the positive connotation of being an opportunist. It is more often taking advantage without regard of principles or consequences, however it could be also exchanging mutual benefits on a basis of principles. Yet to be an opportunist in a positive way even indicates the occurrence of circumstances of possible benefit and seizing them immediately for ones own good. On a language site here the whole idea is built on exchanging languages, it is not like an out of the blue advantageous circumstance that one could make advantage of. So linguistically you are not an 'opportunist' neither a ' backscratcher ' when you exchange languages here :)

Opportunist refer to 1.Taking immediate advantage, often unethically, of any circumstance of possible benefit. as to noun 1.A person who places expediency above principle cowboy...