temporizer

1
as in chameleon
a person who dexterously and expediently changes or adopts opinions the kind of temporizer who determines his position on a political issue by taking a look at the polls

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in machinator
one who does things only for his own benefit and with little regard for right and wrong a lifelong temporizer, he was for the war as long as it was popular and against it the minute the tide of public opinion went the other way

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for temporizer
Noun
  • This time, the moment required the Gators (36-4) to become chameleons.
    Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Newsom, who has a reputation for being a political chameleon, didn’t want to get caught in the minority of what is basically an 80-20 issue.
    Caroline Downey, National Review, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • And a lot of them are like the rig shark — smaller bottom-feeders, eaten by larger sharks and humans alike.
    Julie Depenbrock, NPR, 3 Apr. 2025
  • And with New York dropping the first two games of what was supposed to be a gimme stretch against bottom-feeders, the Knicks’ margin for error is all but gone.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • That is until smooth-talking opportunist sneaker J.B.
    Courtney Howard, Variety, 17 Apr. 2025
  • While the Tron community sees him as a visionary, his detractors see him as an opportunist who thrives on hype, said Gareth Rhodes, managing director at advisory firm Pacific Street.
    Allison Morrow, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Only 15 of those animals were meant to be stopped by the nets; the rest were dolphins, rays, turtles and sharks that aren’t considered dangerous.
    Jade Walker, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Megalodons were behemoth sharks that roamed the waters starting 20 million years ago and are now extinct.
    Christine Wusylko, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Temporizer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temporizer. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!