parasitic

adjective

variants also parasitical
Definition of parasiticnext
as in symbiotic

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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 parasitic Two people have died from the parasitic gastrointestinal illness and at least 740 people have been hospitalized. — Elizabeth Schulze, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026 The flesh-eating New World Screwworm is the parasitic larva that emerges from eggs laid by flies in the open wounds or body openings of warm-blooded animals and humans, with untreated cases potentially leading to severe injury or death. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2026 Cases of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection that causes explosive diarrhea, continue to rise across the United States. — Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Beyond frozen berries, many NC shoppers are also steering clear of lettuce and other leafy greens amid rising cases of cyclosporiasis, a parasitic infection known to cause explosive diarrhea. — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for parasitic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parasitic
  1. symbiotic
  2. dependent
Adjective
  • The relationship between hardware and Physical AI is symbiotic.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • But the symbiotic essence of orchids, the key to their immense evolutionary and ecological success, remained unknown until the end of nineteenth century.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of symbiotic
Adjective
  • Its revenue generation is largely dependent on programmatic ads that run on the website, which generally produce between $2,000 and $5,000 per day.
    — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In order to share Lee’s realm of experience, Clarke began to use heroin—inhaling, not injecting—and quickly became dependent on it.
    — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of dependent

Browse Nearby Words

parasites
parasitic
paratroops
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Cite this Entry

“Parasitic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parasitic. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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