free rider

as in parasite
a person who is supported by or seeks support from another without making an adequate return During their fundraising campaign, the public radio station encouraged listeners not to be free riders.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for free rider
Noun
  • Eating prey can be dangerous for cats, especially mice, which can carry disease, parasites and even poison.
    Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
  • Ticks are products of their environment, and humans have played many roles in turning them into the harmful parasites that seek us out today.
    Sean Lawrence, The Conversation, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • The bill raises the age limit for able-bodied adults without dependents from 54 to 64.
    Lisa Hagen, Hartford Courant, 4 July 2025
  • Nearly 80 million children, senior citizens, people with disabilities, parents and adults without dependents rely on Medicaid and the related Children's Health Insurance Program.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025
Noun
  • Use a microfiber cloth or a non-abrasive sponge to gently scrub the knob.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 10 July 2025
  • My hair absorbs leave in like a sponge, and this made my hair feel amazing.
    Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 8 July 2025
Noun
  • The mosasaur has henchman spinosaurs – a nice touch – while a titanosaurus couple shares a loving moment (which gets interrupted by some pesky humans).
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 2 July 2025
  • Malaparte, by then, was making his name as one of Mussolini’s highbrow henchmen.
    Thomas Meaney, New Yorker, 2 July 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Free rider.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free%20rider. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.

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