moocher

noun

mooch·​er ˈmü-chər How to pronounce moocher (audio)
plural moochers
: one who exploits the generosity of others : a person who mooches off others
Whether it's stiffing drinking buddies with the check, bumming rides, "borrowing" cigarettes or sponging off meals, moochers can push the limits of friendship by making a habit of manipulating others to avoid paying their fair share.Liane Yvkoff
… have a simplistic morality tale to tell. People who receive direct government assistance in the form of Medicare, Social Security, or … welfare are simply assumed to be moochers.Neil H. Nuchanan
If Congress is slashing welfare, the blade ought to come down as brutally on corporate moochers as on social programs.Carl Hiaasen

Examples of moocher in a Sentence

unfortunately, too many people at the community potluck were moochers who didn't bring any food of their own
Recent Examples on the Web Things take a turn when Smokey's drug supplier demands $200 by 10 PM or they'll be killed, but the pair is easily distracted by conflicts with the resident bully, Craig's jealous girlfriend, and various neighborhood moochers and petty criminals. Danny Horn, EW.com, 18 Aug. 2024 The hikes, which go into effect on September 1, are part of a larger effort to crack down on membership moochers and boost revenue for the warehouse chain. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 11 July 2024 Most of the people infected have no symptoms of their gut moochers. Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 31 Aug. 2023 Oh, another example: one of my brothers was a moocher and drug addict. Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 12 Nov. 2023 This will prompt the account moocher to sign up for their own membership. Kelly Wynne, Peoplemag, 24 May 2023 The goal: to make paying subscribers out of moochers using a subscriber’s password to watch for free. Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Apr. 2023 Not by calling your son-in-law a moocher, however much his manners leave to be desired. Washington Post, 28 June 2021 All that empty land unbuilt, those stunning views unmonetized, the constant demands for public funds — the island is basically a moocher, and thank goodness. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 3 May 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'moocher.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of moocher was in 1857

Dictionary Entries Near moocher

Cite this Entry

“Moocher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moocher. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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