free ride

1 of 2

noun (1)

1

: a benefit obtained at another's expense or without the usual cost or effort

… a group of students who have been assigned to do a report where only one student cares, does all the work and the others go along for a free ride …

—Roger T. Johnson and David W. Johnson

also : soft or easy treatment

Generally speaking, the press has given Jacobson a free ride.

—Spy

2

: an arrangement (such as a scholarship) providing a student with tuition at no cost

athletes getting a free ride at college

College officials hope that the idea of a free ride to a new engineering school with lofty ambitions will attract a highly accomplished student body …

—Jeffrey Mervis

free ride intransitive verb

free rider noun

free rider

2 of 2

noun (2)

: one who gets or tries to benefit by a free ride

tried to run a restaurant but failed because of too many friends who were free riders

specifically : a worker who enjoys the benefits derived from a union contract and activities without becoming a member of the union

Examples of free ride in a Sentence

Noun (1)

The state university offered him a free ride for all four years of college—his football scholarship would cover tuition, room and board, and other expenses.

companies getting a free ride at the taxpayer's expense

Word History

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1937, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for free ride

• abide
• allied
• applied
• aside
• astride
• azide
• backside
• bankside
• bastide
• bayside
• bedside
• belied