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.
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Recent Examples of free rider
Fruit, ginger shots, sea moss beverages, tea, and water were on hand, in alignment with her alcohol-free rider and commitment to sobriety.
—
Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for free rider
Noun
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Greenland Sharks Are Effective Hunters Many Greenland sharks are partially blind due to parasites on their eyes.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
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The parasite causes painful skin wounds or sores that worsen within a few days, a foul-smelling odor from the site of the infestation and bleeding from open sores.—
Rachael O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Julie Ann Leon, 45, of the 2000 block of Damon Street in Portage, now faces a Level 6 felony charge of neglect of a dependent.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
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Legitimate preparers must first ask about your income, dependents and filing status.—
Joshua Sidorowicz,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
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It is made of durable, waterproof Oxford cloth and features sponges inside to hold the wires in place.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
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This form of biological clock mechanism appears even in ancient lineages, including sponges and some jellyfish.—
Marlowe Starling,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That is, until Krypto is poisoned by the henchmen of villain Krem of the Yellow Hills, with only three days to save him.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
31 Mar. 2026
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Researchers argued that career anxiety under autocracy creates both pro-regime henchmen and anti-regime plotters.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Free rider.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free%20rider. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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