as in parasites
a person who is supported by or seeks support from another without making an adequate return
whenever the gang went out for pizza, the leech in the group always had an excuse for not paying his fair share
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of leeches
Madeline Weinfield, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025
The small-mouth bass go for the leeches, too.
—Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2025
Her book Saving Fish from Drowning, from drowning features a number of leeches.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025
They get thrown into this lurid serial killer manhunt of an elusive murderer who collects body parts and uses leeches for insane reasons.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
Once the workplace of Revolutionary War figure General Hugh Mercer, the recreated 18th-century pharmacy and doctor’s office is filled with tinctures, leeches, and surgical tools, all explained by costumed interpreters.
—Madeline Weinfield, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025
The small-mouth bass go for the leeches, too.
—Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2025
Her book Saving Fish from Drowning, from drowning features a number of leeches.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025
They get thrown into this lurid serial killer manhunt of an elusive murderer who collects body parts and uses leeches for insane reasons.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leeches
parasites
Noun
-
The benzoquinones in those secretions are pungent to parasites and mosquitoes, and lemurs sometimes also ingest small amounts, suggesting a mix of topical repellent and internal deworming.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Unknown water can be contaminated with parasites, bacteria or other pathogens, which can make dogs sick.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leeches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leeches. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share