as in parasite
a person who is supported by or seeks support from another without making an adequate return
a freeloader who apparently intends to live off of his long-suffering parents forever
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Recent Examples of freeloader
That will weed out the frauds, freeloaders and slumlords.
—
Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 Mar. 2026
That is to buy Apple stock, the greatest freeloader in this AI race.
—Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2026
Under Bolsonaro, state funding dried up, and the government painted artists as freeloaders wasting taxpayer money.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2026
Campillo objected to that rationale, contending residents of nearby cities shouldn’t be treated the same as tourists or characterized as rich freeloaders for visiting Balboa Park as non-residents of San Diego.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
Remember how in 2023 when swarms of these surly, entitled freeloaders suddenly materialized – in Terminal E, of all places.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 28 Nov. 2025
Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 1 Mar. 2026
That is to buy Apple stock, the greatest freeloader in this AI race.
—Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2026
Under Bolsonaro, state funding dried up, and the government painted artists as freeloaders wasting taxpayer money.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2026
Campillo objected to that rationale, contending residents of nearby cities shouldn’t be treated the same as tourists or characterized as rich freeloaders for visiting Balboa Park as non-residents of San Diego.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2026
Remember how in 2023 when swarms of these surly, entitled freeloaders suddenly materialized – in Terminal E, of all places.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 28 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for freeloader
parasite
Noun
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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
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They have been microchipped, vaccinated and treated for fleas and parasites.—
Maryanne Dell,
Oc Register,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Freeloader.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/freeloader. Accessed 26 Mar. 2026.
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