as in parasite
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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Recent Examples of free rider
Fruit, ginger shots, sea moss beverages, tea, and water were on hand, in alignment with her alcohol-free rider and commitment to sobriety.
—
Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for free rider
Noun
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What starts as a parasite quickly turns into something far more lethal, emerging in stages the crew can’t anticipate — including one of the most famous and shocking scenes in movie history.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
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Satoskar says the inaccurate information that influencers are sharing about parasites might encourage people, including those with delusional parasitosis, to make risky health decisions.—
Sarah Boden,
NPR,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Julie Ann Leon, 45, of the 2000 block of Damon Street in Portage, now faces a Level 6 felony charge of neglect of a dependent.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
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Legitimate preparers must first ask about your income, dependents and filing status.—
Joshua Sidorowicz,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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It is made of durable, waterproof Oxford cloth and features sponges inside to hold the wires in place.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
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This form of biological clock mechanism appears even in ancient lineages, including sponges and some jellyfish.—
Marlowe Starling,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Researchers argued that career anxiety under autocracy creates both pro-regime henchmen and anti-regime plotters.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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The global Jewish community is now an active front in the warfare of the Middle East — the war against the Iranian regime, and the war against its henchmen, the Houthis, Hamas, and Hezbollah.—
Joshua M. Davidson,
New York Daily News,
22 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Free rider.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free%20rider. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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