to snatch the opportunity
- phrasal verb
:
aprovechar la oportunidad
- He tried to snatch the opportunity before anyone else noticed it.
Examples
-
He wants to snatch the opportunity now!
-
When the job came up unexpectedly, she didn’t hesitate to snatch the opportunity.
-
They were able to snatch the opportunity and expand their business overseas.
-
Did she snatch the opportunity at the conference?
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She was determined to snatch the opportunity for a promotion as soon as it arose.
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When the job opening was announced, he quickly snatched the opportunity to apply.
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Realizing the conference was just around the corner, she decided to snatch the opportunity to network with industry leaders.
Synonyms
136
3.0
To take something quickly with your hand
91
3.3
To do something risky hoping for a good result
24
4.6
To grab something quickly, often before someone else
23
4.3
To use an opportunity quickly
19
5.3
To quickly use an idea or chance to get an advantage
14
3.7
Buy something quickly before other people do
10
3.9
Act quickly to use a good chance
5
6.6
To use a good chance to get an advantage
4
4.2
Try a risky action hoping it will work
3
4.7
Do something quickly to use a good chance before it ends
1
9.9
Act boldly and take control of your life
To accept an offer or chance quickly before someone else does
Act quickly to take an opportunity before others do
Act quickly to grab an opportunity before it is lost
To use a rising trend or new interest to grow quickly
To act quickly and boldly to make the most of life
Antonyms
How Quick
10
3.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
snatch + the + opportunity
The meaning 'to seize an opportunity quickly and eagerly' is directly and predictably derived from 'snatch' (to take suddenly) combined with 'opportunity' (a chance or favorable situation). The determiner 'the' is neutral here, and this construction parallels cross-linguistic patterns like 'seize the opportunity', so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would likely understand it.
Etymology
Snatch the opportunity comes from the image of quickly grabbing something before it disappears. Think of snatch as a sudden, fast grab and opportunity as a chance that might soon be gone, so the phrase means 'to take a chance quickly and eagerly'.