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
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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
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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
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for mooching
Verb
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Its dressing—creamy from mayonnaise, subtly sweet from a touch of sugar—is begging for the pickle's salty acidity.
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The 2026 Toyota Crown is a tame but stylish family car, neither begging you to go off-road or to step on it around country mountains, but instead being an all-around great hauler with the quality Toyota’s known for.
Verb
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His one rule for guests is to chase whatever task is nagging at them, but to resist sneaking in actual work.
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As for oats, consider sneaking in some extra protein to round out their nutritional profile.
Verb
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After countless date nights spent wandering Costco aisles during executive member hours and dining on food-court pizza and hot dogs, Beth and Alec Harwerth decided there was no better location for their engagement photos.
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In Corfu, days were spent hiking to the island's best beaches, wandering through pastel old-town streets, and stopping for long lunches in mountain villages.
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.
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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.
Verb
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Unbeknownst to its more than 800 members, Flod had been lurking in the public group for years, silently celebrating each new mention of Pinky.
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Messi, Mbappe and Kane will battle for this award, although Dembele is lurking, too.
Verb
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On July 8, the Inyo National Forest will begin rounding up horses from the Montgomery Pass herd roaming beyond the roughly 200,000 acres designated for them along the California-Nevada border, according to a recent news release.
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The animals have been seen on airport runways, walking on golf courses, roaming near schools and causing panic in supermarkets and hot spring resorts almost on a daily basis.
Verb
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In December 1922, two Black men were abducted from the Pilot Point jail after being accused of stealing horses.
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Wolfson and her friends would try the stunts at home, stealing shopping carts to push each other into curbs.
Verb
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The Brazilians are cruising early in the second half.
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Spending by active yachts supports marinas, hotels, restaurants, transportation providers and a range of local service businesses in major cruising destinations—not just in terms of guest or owner spending, but crew spending, too.
Cite this Entry
“Mooching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mooching. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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