as in parasite
a person who is supported by or seeks support from another without making an adequate return
almost overnight, the singer was a star, and almost overnight, he was surrounded by hangers-on who wanted something
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Recent Examples of hanger-on
Matthew is a classic hanger-on, whose own identity is mutable, molding himself to whoever is around him and shining their light on him.
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2025
The parade at Mar-a-Lago was a steady stream of corporate executives, wealthy elites and hangers-on, some vying for plum appointments and favors from the president-elect.
—Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 18 Jan. 2025
The disaffected machismo of Nadie seemed to exhaust the man taunting haters and hangers-on.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 13 Jan. 2025
As a spectator, a musician, a hanger-on.
—Sarah Weinman, Rolling Stone, 1 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hanger-on
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2025
The parade at Mar-a-Lago was a steady stream of corporate executives, wealthy elites and hangers-on, some vying for plum appointments and favors from the president-elect.
—Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 18 Jan. 2025
The disaffected machismo of Nadie seemed to exhaust the man taunting haters and hangers-on.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 13 Jan. 2025
As a spectator, a musician, a hanger-on.
—Sarah Weinman, Rolling Stone, 1 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for hanger-on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanger-on
Noun
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The unfortunate truth is that blueberries can carry all sorts of unwanted guests, from dirt and debris, tiny bugs like aphids or fruit flies, pesticide residue, bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, or Listeria, mold spores, and even parasites.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
18 May 2025
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That setting could help preserve it by protecting it from natural degradation caused by parasites and other organisms.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
15 May 2025
Noun
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Peter Kwong, a martial artist and actor who played one of the Three Storms in Big Trouble in Little China and a henchman in The Golden Child during a prolific acting career and was active in actors union politics and the movie and TV academy leadership, has died.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
28 May 2025
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The film’s extended pre-title sequence culminates in Ethan brutally murdering the henchmen that Gabriel (Esai Morales) has dispatched to kill her.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hanger-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanger-on. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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