mooches

verb

present tense third-person singular of mooch
1
as in begs
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 sneaks
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
as in wanders
to move about from place to place aimlessly kids on vacation mooching about the house and looking for something to do

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mooches
  1. begs
  2. sneaks
  3. wanders
  4. lurks
  5. roams
  6. slips
  7. drifts
  8. steals
Verb
  • Lifelike Cat With a face full of fur and electric-green-colored contacts, this cat costume begs to be seen.
    — Michella Oré, Glamour, 27 Oct. 2026
  • When Sita begs Rama to follow a demon disguised as a beautiful golden deer, Rama draws a magical protective circle around the princess and instructs her to stay within the circle’s borders.
    — Sohini Sarah Pillai, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of begs
Verb
  • Owen Wilson plays an overprotective dad who sneaks his 13-year-old son (Christian Convery) into the festival.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The titular bed trick refers to the literary device, beloved by Shakespeare and by opera buffa, in which a lover sneaks into a bed and, under cover of darkness, is taken for someone else.
    — S. C. Cornell, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of sneaks
Verb
  • My dad wanders through an empty banquet hall with tables pushed to the side.
    — Aube Rey Lescure, Longreads, 29 Oct. 2026
  • A bit later, Len wanders down to her place for coffee and their morning round of cards.
    — Anne Kadet, Curbed, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of wanders
Verb
  • What lurks over the next ridge or the next nightfall is anyone’s guess.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The Spurs superstar lurks down low near the basket, allowing guards to pressure aggressively on the perimeter.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of lurks
Verb
  • After the game, the inspector roams the locker rooms, checking to make sure that no non-partner logos can be seen by reporters, fans or television cameras — and then writes a summary of each game for the league.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
  • When the Farmer destroys the flock’s beloved pumpkin patch, Shaun turns mad scientist to fix the problem, only for events to spiral out of control as a wild beast roams the woods of Mossingham.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of roams
Verb
  • If your pet slips outside and has an orthopedic issue that subsequently needs to be treated, your vet bills could be exorbitant.
    — Matt Richardson, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Glossier You’s compact solid perfume slips into my purse, freeing up suitcase space and giving me one less liquid to fit into my toiletries bag before airport security.
    — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of slips
Verb
  • Rain chances are low — 10% to 25% — as the front drifts southward during the day.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Around me, hands reach up timidly and then with more confidence, and then they are accompanied by applause that drifts from one side of the room to the other and back.
    — Sam Kestenbaum, Harpers Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of drifts
Verb
  • Notre Dame guard Hannah Hidalgo steals the ball from UConn guard Kayleigh Heckel during the second half in an Elite Eight game on March 29, 2026, in Fort Worth, Texas.
    — Doug Feinberg, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Plus, in the end, another chain, Sizzler, swoops in and steals all the cows.
    — Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of steals
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.

Browse Nearby Words

moochers
mooches
mooching
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Cite this Entry

“Mooches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mooches. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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