1
as in begging
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in sneaking
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 wandering
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
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Recent Examples of mooching
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
Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mooching
Verb
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Rebounding has also been a consistent problem for UConn, and the Huskies’ assistant coaches spent time in nearly every huddle during the Final Four matchup begging the team to commit to boxing out and fighting for boards.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
4 Apr. 2026
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Some fans are crying their eyes violet over their disappointment, while others are begging critics to get a grip.—
Maya Georgi,
Rolling Stone,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Tina Peters is serving a nine-year prison term after being convicted of state crimes for sneaking in an outside computer expert to make a copy of her county's election computer system during a software update in 2021.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Apr. 2026
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Tina Peters is serving a nine-year prison term after being convicted of state crimes for sneaking in an outside computer expert to make a copy of her county’s election computer system during a software update in 2021.—
Colleen Slevin,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Wear it with sandals to the beach, throw on sneakers for wandering around town, and add a cardigan when the evening gets breezy.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Apr. 2026
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In addition to wandering tourists, expect to see theater crew, set designers, actors, and matronly sensei in pastel kimonos and big, pinned up hairdos haunting the vicinity.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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But her lover, the increasingly controlling and unhinged army corporal Don José, is gradually dimished to lurking in the shadows and hiding in crowds.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
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Who’s lurking in back of the building?—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The whole thing was a striking visual spectacle, too — waves of musicians rising from both sides, backup singers swaying and clapping, spotlights sweeping across the floor as a roaming camera zipped through the crowd like a drone that had just discovered country music.—
Theoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
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Other tips include not leaving pet food outside, not touching or feeding free-roaming animals, keeping yard landscaping trimmed, keeping lids on trash containers, and closing home crawlspaces.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Melrose, Massachusetts attorney Henry Rappa is accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a couple who hired him to handle a major family inheritance.—
Mike Sullivan,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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His exasperated wife, Lili, gets a classic Lucy Punch-up from the veteran scene-stealing British actress (Jingle Bell Heist).—
Sarah Rodman,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The series takes place on a yacht, cruising the coast of Malta.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
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Legally recognizing lowriders is a big change from past decades, when cruising was prohibited in many cities across the state.—
James Taylor,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mooching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mooching. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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