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dependents

noun

plural of dependent
as in parasites

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dependents
  1. parasites
  2. freeloaders
  3. leeches
  4. hangers-on
  5. sponges
  6. sycophants
  7. lackeys
  8. henchmen
Noun
  • For example, before vaccines kick in, sharing a litter box with another house cat risks transferring parasites.
    — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • But much of it appears to be little more than the remains of viruses and other molecular parasites.
    — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of parasites
Noun
  • Hookworms are freeloaders that live at the host’s expense inside their gut, drinking about two drops of blood per day.
    — Jay Kakade August 05, Refractor, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The wide-open scam enriched Haitian freeloaders as Bonheur personally netted a million bucks in just two years after Joe Biden rang the dinner bell for every grifter in the Third World.
    — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 7 July 2026
Definition of freeloaders
Noun
  • The lightning-fast process leeches out flavor and compromises textures, and can produce bland, mushy results.
    — Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 June 2026
  • The fact is that leeches are relished by everything from walleyes and bass to trout and all the panfish.
    — Byron W. Dalrymple, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
Definition of leeches
Noun
  • In late August, the hotel turns into a red-carpet event for celebrities, stars of the silver screen, and various hangers-on at the Venice Film Festival to which the Excelsior is inexorably linked, now enjoying its 10th decade.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The twisted tale involves a cadre of rappers and hangers-on, shootings in separate states, two deaths and various acts of betrayal.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of hangers-on
Noun
  • The geographic features are hot spots of biodiversity, with corals, sponges and even an octopus garden, just like in the Beatles song.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Abrasive sponges and cleaners can leave tiny marks behind that will dull and damage the surface over time.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of sponges
Noun
  • For its sycophants, LIV Golf was a new flavor in the vanilla world of professional golf.
    — Brody Miller, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Our state is under siege by the skilled sycophants who surround the president and use his base desires as cover for their own destructive agendas.
    — Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of sycophants
Noun
  • These are perfunctory roles by definition, so lackeys of one kind or another are often favored.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The sculpture included Teddy mounted on a striding horse with two lackeys walking on either side.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 10 July 2026
Definition of lackeys
Noun
  • One of the senior henchmen of right-wing Christian politics saw this dangerous transformation unfolding from the inside.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2026
  • While Sanji and Chopper fight off various henchmen, Luffy battles Wapol and eventually beats him with Sanj’s help.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of henchmen
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.

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dependent
dependents
depending
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Cite this Entry

“Dependents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dependents. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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