free rider

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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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for free rider
Noun
  • The unfortunate truth is that blueberries can carry all sorts of unwanted guests, from dirt and debris, tiny bugs like aphids or fruit flies, pesticide residue, bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, or Listeria, mold spores, and even parasites.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 18 May 2025
  • That setting could help preserve it by protecting it from natural degradation caused by parasites and other organisms.
    Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • Older Americans up to age 64, rather than 54, who are able-bodied and without dependents would need to work or engage in the community programs for 80 hours a month.
    Joey Cappelletti, Chicago Tribune, 21 May 2025
  • To cut spending, the package would impose new work requirements for many people who receive health care through Medicaid, with able-bodied adults without dependents needing to fulfill 80 hours a month on a job or in other community activities.
    Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025
Noun
  • The central pool has clusters of coral and sponges, attracting dozens of types of tropical fish.
    Erik Trinidad, Travel + Leisure, 21 May 2025
  • Benny’s presented as an overachieving sponge, absorbing contradictory messages about how he is supposed to live in society from both masc frat culture, which tells him to repress, and the relatively more progressive music and films he’s become obsessed with, which tell him to, uh, slay.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • Before the mole can get much info from her mark, however, top Harrigan henchman Paul (Emmett J. Scanlan) arrives.
    EW.com, EW.com, 11 May 2025
  • In a parked car, erotic dancer Ani (Mikey Madison) straddles Igor (Yura Borisov), the Russian henchman who’s been her undesired shadow for a couple of very long, very stressful days.
    A.A. Dowd, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
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 rider.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free%20rider. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

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