moocher

noun

mooch·​er ˈmü-chər 

plural moochers

: one who exploits the generosity of others : a person who mooches off others

Whether it's stiffing drinking buddies with the check, bumming rides, "borrowing" cigarettes or sponging off meals, moochers can push the limits of friendship by making a habit of manipulating others to avoid paying their fair share.

—Liane Yvkoff

… have a simplistic morality tale to tell. People who receive direct government assistance in the form of Medicare, Social Security, or … welfare are simply assumed to be moochers.

—Neil H. Nuchanan

If Congress is slashing welfare, the blade ought to come down as brutally on corporate moochers as on social programs.

—Carl Hiaasen

Synonyms

• bloodsucker
• free rider
• freeloader
• hanger-on
• leech
• parasite
• sponge
• sponger

Examples of moocher in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Most of the people infected have no symptoms of their gut moochers. —Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 31 Aug. 2023

Oh, another example: one of my brothers was a moocher and drug addict. —Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 12 Nov. 2023

This will prompt the account moocher to sign up for their own membership. —Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 24 May 2023

The goal: to make paying subscribers out of moochers using a subscriber’s password to watch for free. —Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Apr. 2023

Not by calling your son-in-law a moocher, however much his manners leave to be desired. —Washington Post, 28 June 2021

All that empty land unbuilt, those stunning views unmonetized, the constant demands for public funds — the island is basically a moocher, and thank goodness. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 3 May 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above