as in parasites
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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Recent Examples of hangers-on
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
Peter Ames Carlin, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hangers-on
parasites
Noun
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The Deadly Kissing Bug, or an infected triatomine insect, are infected by Trypanosoma cruzi parasites.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
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Tracking the spread of parasites and diseases in wild moose populations helps wildlife managers preserve those populations and reduce the spread to other animals or livestock.—
Jessie Richards,
The Conversation,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hangers-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hangers-on. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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