mooch

Definition of moochnext
1
as in to beg
to live by relying on someone else's generosity or hospitality without sharing in the cost or responsibility he's always mooching off of his friends, even though he can easily pay his own way

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in to sneak
to move about in a sly or secret manner I suspect she's mooching around in the background and keeping an eye on us

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of mooch Suleman also opened up about her financial insecurity in the early 2010s and how the media painted her to be mooching off the government. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 8 Mar. 2025 Anyway, my friend and I were able to mooch a ride from him to that wonderful institution known as LAX, land of inconvenience, confusion, disdain and dirty bathrooms. Marla Jo Fisher, Orange County Register, 26 Feb. 2025 China’s Silicon Valley–slayer may have mooched off Silicon Valley after all. Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2025 Her family wants to mooch off her success while also criticizing her success. Lydia Patrick, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mooch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mooch
Verb
  • These questions linger as Ion goes about his day, looking for work, begging for change, and scarfing down a meal—moments that flash by in quick, propulsive blips.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
  • White denim absolutely begs for a smart partner underneath.
    Alex Sales, Glamour, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Where dancing on sticky living room floors, sneaking beers from your parents' refrigerator and bumping music on stereos were hallmarks of adolescence.
    Jane Onyanga-Omara, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Teenage boys sneaking to look at pornography is almost a rite of passage.
    Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The bohemian Užupis district feels like a film set in its own right, and wandering through the cobblestoned streets with kids is the kind of immersive, screen-free adventure that sticks with a family long after the suitcases are unpacked.
    Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Mar. 2026
  • German Jews—my people—were far less numerous, most of them came to the United States earlier, and their typical first occupation was peddling, which entailed wandering through non-Jewish areas, not living in tenements.
    Adam Kirsch, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Scientists tracking humpbacks off the coast of Australia have captured rare footage that shows clutches of the freeloading fish peeling away from their host in what looks like a high-speed game of chicken, just moments before the whale breaches.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
  • The specter of freeloading corporations using more space, water, and energy for AI processing has defined the race for the 30th House of Delegates district, well outside DC.
    David Weigel, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Sunderland are lurking and, perhaps for the first time under Howe’s management, Newcastle are in deficit, needing a response (yet again) after a chastening night in Europe.
    George Caulkin, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
  • There are signs of tradition lurking elsewhere on the record.
    Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The employees of Rockin’ Grandma’s roam the grounds of the retreat site, which boasts multiple structures, and are visited by a series of guest speakers whose lectures range from the merely dull to the truly Dada.
    Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2026
  • It's estimated 60 million bison once roamed North America, but they were nearly driven to extinction in the 1800s, and by 1889, there were only a few hundred wild bison remained.
    Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The Lions added to that success stealing both of its attempts in the win over Allegiance.
    Mike Waters, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Podziemski then stole the ensuing inbounds pass to secure the win.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Viral videos making the rounds show buffet crashers strolling into hotel dining rooms, piling up plates with food and heading out — no payment in sight.
    Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Tourists stroll more freely than ever on pedestrianized streets, breathing cleaner air.
    Lisa Courbebaisse, CNN Money, 21 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mooch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mooch. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster