opportunity

(ŏp'ər-tū'nĭ-tē, -tyū'-)
n., pl., -ties.

1. 1. A favorable or advantageous circumstance or combination of circumstances.
   2. A favorable or suitable occasion or time.
2. A chance for progress or advancement.

SYNONYMS   opportunity, occasion, opening, chance, break. These nouns refer to a favorable or advantageous circumstance or combination of circumstances. Opportunity is an auspicious state of affairs or a suitable time: "If you prepare yourself . . . you will be able to grasp opportunity for broader experience when it appears" (Eleanor Roosevelt). Occasion suggests the proper time for action: an auspicious occasion; an occasion for celebration. An opening is an opportunity affording a good possibility of success: waited patiently for her opening, then exposed the report's inconsistency. Chance often implies an opportunity that arises through luck or accident: a chance for us to chat; no chance of losing. A break is an often sudden piece of luck, especially good luck: got his first big break in Hollywood.

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The expressions have (or take, etc.) the (or an, every, etc.) opportunity are followed either by a to-infinitive or by of + verbal noun:

I was eager to snatch at every opportunity to get myself established as a writer, film-maker, what-have-you, in an effort to find a clearly defined career—Chris Bonington, 1973

He takes the opportunity to castigate the creeping hypocrisy and social climbing which had always called forth his most bitter satire—Transactions of the Yorkshire Dialect Society, 1978

The primary school kids have the opportunity of working with micros in their normal classroom activities—Listener, 1983.

For is normally used when an ordinary noun follows:

Happily there was no opportunity for soddishness about whom I should go with—D. Craig, 1970.

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noun

A favorable or advantageous combination of circumstances: break, chance, occasion, opening. Informal shot. See luck/misfortune/chance.

n

Definition: lucky chance; favorable circumstances
Antonyms: bad luck, misfortune

A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce

n.

A favorable occasion for grasping a disappointment.

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IN BRIEF: A good chance to do something.

If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. — Milton Berle, American comedian and entertainer.

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See words rhyming with "opportunity."

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Common misspelling(s) of opportunity

• oportunity

Dansk (Danish)
n. - lejlighed, chance, belejlig tid, rette øjeblik

Nederlands (Dutch)
gelegenheid

Français (French)
n. - occasion, possibilité

Deutsch (German)
n. - Gelegenheit

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ευκαιρία, πρόσφορες ή κατάλληλες συνθήκες

Italiano (Italian)
occasione, opportunità, possibilità

Português (Portuguese)
n. - oportunidade (f)

Русский (Russian)
возможность

Español (Spanish)
n. - oportunidad, ocasión

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - tillfälle, möjlighet

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
机会, 时机

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 機會, 時機

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 기회, 호기

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 機会, 好機

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) فرصه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮הזדמנות, שעה נוחה, שעת כושר‬

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