free riders

plural of free rider
as in parasites
a person who is supported by or seeks support from another without making an adequate return During their fundraising campaign, the public radio station encouraged listeners not to be free riders.

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for free riders
Noun
  • Caused by parasites spread via Anopheles mosquitoes, malaria can cause symptoms including nausea, headache and intense waves of fever and chills.
    CBS News, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In mid-May, India’s chief justice made some comments comparing unemployed youth to cockroaches and parasites.
    Fiction Non Fiction, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • After seven years of no sleep, grief, and nightmares, Suleyman finally reunites with his mother in Paradise—just as henchmen, cops, and one very bad raid drag him back into hell.
    Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 18 Aug. 2026
  • And so does Jesse — particularly the latest installment, which sees the iconic henchmen find themselves as accidental stars in 1920s Hollywood.
    Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026
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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Cite this Entry

“Free riders.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free%20riders. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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