as in parasite
a person who is supported by or seeks support from another without making an adequate return
almost overnight, the singer was a star, and almost overnight, he was surrounded by hangers-on who wanted something
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hanger-on
That’s a missed opportunity to be a legitimate hanger-on in the wild-card race.
—
Tim Britton, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Mike Appel led the session from behind the board, with the engineer Louis Lahav at his side and a scattering of staff, friends, and other hangers-on lurking here and there.
—Peter Ames Carlin, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
In nearly every comics appearance, Olsen is inherently something of a dweeb; a hanger-on to Lois and Clark who looks up to them and doesn’t always get respect back.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 16 July 2025
In what qualifies as high concept by Madea-movie standards, the character is transplanted to a resort in the Bahamas along with her family and the usual hangers-on.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hanger-on
Tim Britton, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2025
Mike Appel led the session from behind the board, with the engineer Louis Lahav at his side and a scattering of staff, friends, and other hangers-on lurking here and there.
—Peter Ames Carlin, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
In nearly every comics appearance, Olsen is inherently something of a dweeb; a hanger-on to Lois and Clark who looks up to them and doesn’t always get respect back.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 16 July 2025
In what qualifies as high concept by Madea-movie standards, the character is transplanted to a resort in the Bahamas along with her family and the usual hangers-on.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for hanger-on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanger-on
Noun
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These methods sort through the DNA in a sample looking for specific genes that are signatures of parasites like pinworms, as well as bacterial pathogens.—
Veronique Greenwood,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Extreme temperatures, parasites, viruses, fungi, and bacteria are also major dangers.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Besides being mugged by one of Iza’s henchmen, a brick was thrown through his window and his car was vandalized.—
Jesse Hyde,
Rolling Stone,
21 Oct. 2025
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Clarke played villain henchmen Mac in the film partly set and filmed in Sydney, Australia.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hanger-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanger-on. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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