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 main street that intercepts the end of my block is tree-lined and buzzing, with generous sidewalks, gleaming (and respected) crosswalks, and wide windowscapes just begging to be strolled and observed.
    Claire Salinda, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Mayor Brandon Johnson surely is looking from afar with envy, having begged Springfield for three years with no success to pass such taxes.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • My brother Mike knew a maintenance engineer who snuck me in to Seals & Crofts’ studio.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Nine Iranian ships traveled through the strait by turning off transponders that reveal locations, sneaking by undetected.
    Cecilia Vega, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • His resume also includes finding a patient with dementia who wandered away from a care facility and tracking down a bank robbery suspect.
    Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
  • In New York City alone, perfume lovers can wander into beloved destinations like Scent Bar or Aedes Perfumery to explore shelves of hard-to-find bottles.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 16 Mar. 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
  • Binary neutron stars have long been considered the best bet for deciphering what lurks within.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 15 Mar. 2026
  • In these cases, a more serious gut condition, like colorectal cancer, could be lurking.
    Erica Sloan, SELF, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Or for the suggestion that Chinese intelligence operatives were roaming near sensitive sites with impunity.
    Adam Ciralsky, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
  • Elephants, hippos, buffalo, giraffes, gazelles, zebras, impalas and warthogs — all roaming free just a stone’s throw from our dusty 4×4 in Kenya’s Tsavo East National Park.
    David Dickstein, Oc Register, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The suspect vehicle in a shooting at the United States consulate in Toronto this week has been found and police on Thursday said that it was stolen.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Your 2nd House of Materials begins hosting the Moon today, drawing attention to budgets and routines that build security without stealing focus from larger goals.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 14 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The family finished their drinks and strolled leisurely back into the show.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Bagpipers, local Irish organizations, Union members, Irish dance groups and high school marching bands from across the country strolled along, passing out beads, candy and other small things.
    Eva Remijan-Toba, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Mooch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mooch. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.

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