leeching

Definition of leechingnext
present participle of leech

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for leeching
Verb
  • In the collision of spice, sharpness and seedy crunch, and in the sponging way potatoes soak up butter, the intensity never seems like too much.
    Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
  • While the sponging industry has diminished over the years (largely because most modern-day consumers use artificial versions for dish scrubbing and housecleaning), there’s still a considerable market for the natural ones, especially in Europe.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Scientists tracking humpbacks off the coast of Australia have captured rare footage that shows clutches of the freeloading fish peeling away from their host in what looks like a high-speed game of chicken, just moments before the whale breaches.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
  • The specter of freeloading corporations using more space, water, and energy for AI processing has defined the race for the 30th House of Delegates district, well outside DC.
    David Weigel, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • On top of that, Nico is also, quite obviously, just mooching off/clinging to Mindy because he got cut off by his family.
    Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Prosecutors said the former actor weaponized his reputation as a Lakota medicine man, exploiting cultural traditions and spiritual beliefs to prey on Indigenous women and girls.
    Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026
  • These can include sabotaging infrastructure to foment unrest, subtly interfering with training exercises to undermine Arctic capabilities, and exploiting divisions in adversarial alliances.
    Tristan Bove, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2026
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

“Leeching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leeching. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.

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