Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
timeserving

timeserving

9.1
Someone who changes their actions or opinions to gain personal advantage
  • adjective
  • /ˈtaɪmˌsɜrvɪŋ/
  • Offensive
translation icon : oportunista
  • Her timeserving attitude ensured she always sided with whoever had the most power.

Examples

  • The politician's timeserving approach made him unpopular with those who valued principles over expediency.

  • Critics accused the CEO of timeserving rather than leading with integrity.

  • His timeserving behavior during the election was obvious.

  • She is often accused of being timeserving in her career.

  • Critics accused the CEO of timeserving instead of leading with integrity.

  • The politician's timeserving approach prioritized his personal gain over public service.

  • Her timeserving actions reflected a desire to align with those in power for her own benefit.

Synonyms

self-serving
vstimeserving
  • Offensive
49 6.4

Putting your own needs first without caring about others

adapts principles to suit situations for personal advantage rather than mere concern
opportunistic
vstimeserving
28 6.8

Ready to use opportunities to gain, often without caring about right or wrong

adapts principles or actions to suit situations for personal gain
exploitive
vstimeserving
3 7.3

Using people or situations unfairly to get personal benefit

adapts principles to fit situations for gain rather than taking unfair advantage of others
self-seeking
vstimeserving
1 6.9

A person who cares only about their own gain and ignores other people

adapts principles to fit situations for personal benefit rather than only pursuing gain

Antonyms

selfless
72 3.2

Caring more about other people's needs than your own

principled
39 3.8

A person or group that shows strong ideas about right and wrong and acts on them

How Principled

upright
15 4.0
principled
39 3.8
pragmatic
64 6.3
timeserving
  • Offensive
9.1
opportunistic
28 6.8

Surface Forms

timeserving positive

Morphology

timeserving = time + serving (semi-transparent) = time + serve + ing

The components 'time' and 'serving' are visible, but the evaluative sense 'opportunistic, unprincipled' is an idiomatic extension not fully predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Timeserving comes from the parts time + serving, meaning 'serving the times' or following what is popular or whoever is in power. So a timeserving person changes their principles to fit the moment to gain advantage and is often seen as unprincipled or selfish.