mooch

Definition of moochnext
1
as in to beg
to live by relying on someone else's generosity or hospitality without sharing in the cost or responsibility he's always mooching off of his friends, even though he can easily pay his own way

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2
as in to sneak
to move about in a sly or secret manner I suspect she's mooching around in the background and keeping an eye on us

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

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 mooch Suleman also opened up about her financial insecurity in the early 2010s and how the media painted her to be mooching off the government. Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 8 Mar. 2025 Anyway, my friend and I were able to mooch a ride from him to that wonderful institution known as LAX, land of inconvenience, confusion, disdain and dirty bathrooms. Marla Jo Fisher, Orange County Register, 26 Feb. 2025 China’s Silicon Valley–slayer may have mooched off Silicon Valley after all. Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2025 Her family wants to mooch off her success while also criticizing her success. Lydia Patrick, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mooch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mooch
Verb
  • The lopsided football and basketball brackets beg for change.
    Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Lindsay is still texting him, begging for a reply, but Josh focuses on getting Troy to make the necessary calls.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Several candidates, including Marx, pledged to free the former Mesa County clerk, who was convicted for orchestrating a plot to sneak a third party into a secure area to examine voting equipment after the 2020 election.
    Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
  • But that was the only time the Badgers would sneak one past Hicks.
    Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Security video captured the puppy wandering around outside for about an hour before staff found her.
    Michele Gile, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Older than Earth's continents, older than life itself, wandering through space for billions of years — an agent of chaos here for a fleeting visit.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 13 Apr. 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
  • The handheld camera prefers to lurk on the wooden side of the easel.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
  • But for Russell, these examples show the danger lurking on the path of now agitating inside Mercedes, to somehow put Antonelli off his new stride.
    Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Neanderthals mostly lived in Europe, while more recent additions to the family, the Denisovans, roamed Asia.
    CBS News, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Soon, Norton Tire outfitted most of the 20,000 cars that roamed the young city’s streets by the early 1930s.
    Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • After Stewart stole second, Suárez doubled to center to give Cincinnati a 2-0 lead.
    CBS News, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
  • Lourenco's administration has vowed to crack down on corruption and has worked to recover funds allegedly stolen in the dos Santos era.
    ABC News, ABC News, 18 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Not to be outdone, the Tuscany Active Culinary Walking & Hiking Tour in Italy features wine sipping, a cooking class led by an engaging Italian chef, and plenty of strolling through the countryside.
    Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Nothing is sadder than to watch people stroll past that memorial as if nothing is out of the ordinary, our civic pride and historical perspective crushed under the weight of indifference.
    Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mooch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mooch. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.

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