as in leeches
a person who is supported by or seeks support from another without making an adequate return
a parasite who lived in the family's basement and refused to get a job or pay rent
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Recent Examples of parasites
Greenland Sharks Are Effective Hunters Many Greenland sharks are partially blind due to parasites on their eyes.
—
Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
In the second stage, the parasites invade the brain and central nervous system, causing severe neurological problems including confusion, dramatic disruptions to sleep patterns and, in advanced cases, coma.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Satoskar says the inaccurate information that influencers are sharing about parasites might encourage people, including those with delusional parasitosis, to make risky health decisions.
—Sarah Boden, NPR, 16 Mar. 2026
They have been microchipped, vaccinated and treated for fleas and parasites.
—Maryanne Dell, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026
Crustaceans are nibblers of plants, scavengers of carrion, and parasites of larger animals.
—Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 12 Mar. 2026
Further, co-author Thomas Wierzba, a professor of infectious diseases at Wake Forest School of Medicine, explains that ETVAX reduced moderate-to-severe diarrhea from viruses, bacteria or other parasites by 21 percent.
—Sahas Mehra, Scientific American, 10 Mar. 2026
When countries are unable to provide treatment, the parasites that cause these diseases will spread to infect more people.
—Philip Budge, The Conversation, 5 Mar. 2026
But the sandwich, created by Cincinnati's first McDonald's franchise owner whose clientele was predominantly Catholic, might be carrying an unwelcome surprise — parasites.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Feb. 2026
Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026
In the second stage, the parasites invade the brain and central nervous system, causing severe neurological problems including confusion, dramatic disruptions to sleep patterns and, in advanced cases, coma.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Satoskar says the inaccurate information that influencers are sharing about parasites might encourage people, including those with delusional parasitosis, to make risky health decisions.
—Sarah Boden, NPR, 16 Mar. 2026
They have been microchipped, vaccinated and treated for fleas and parasites.
—Maryanne Dell, Oc Register, 14 Mar. 2026
Crustaceans are nibblers of plants, scavengers of carrion, and parasites of larger animals.
—Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 12 Mar. 2026
Further, co-author Thomas Wierzba, a professor of infectious diseases at Wake Forest School of Medicine, explains that ETVAX reduced moderate-to-severe diarrhea from viruses, bacteria or other parasites by 21 percent.
—Sahas Mehra, Scientific American, 10 Mar. 2026
When countries are unable to provide treatment, the parasites that cause these diseases will spread to infect more people.
—Philip Budge, The Conversation, 5 Mar. 2026
But the sandwich, created by Cincinnati's first McDonald's franchise owner whose clientele was predominantly Catholic, might be carrying an unwelcome surprise — parasites.
—Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parasites
Noun
-
Dysmenorrhea might be treated by placing leeches on the abdomen to increase blood loss.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 Mar. 2026
-
In an effort to save Cathy, doctors place leeches over her body in hopes of removing the bad blood.—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Brushes harbor much less bacteria than sponges.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The new-to-science species catalogued so far include brittlestars, crabs, sea anemones and sponges.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That will weed out the frauds, freeloaders and slumlords.—
Scott Ostler,
San Francisco Chronicle,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Under Bolsonaro, state funding dried up, and the government painted artists as freeloaders wasting taxpayer money.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
Noun
-
The world has gotten a glimpse of the fawning, skeezy shamelessness of his famous hangers-on, but not enough to criminally implicate them.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Callie is popular and vivacious, perpetually surrounded by admirers and various hangers-on (Audrey Grace Marshall’s Cara is hellbent on usurping Minnie’s place in Callie’s life, while her himbo-esque boyfriend Brad is given wonderful dimension through Beck Nolan’s sneaky-good performance).—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
On the opening night of their juke joint in 1930s Mississippi, they are beset by a small band of vampires, intent on turning everyone inside into bloodsuckers.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Oh, and a trio of baddie bloodsuckers from another coven are also interested in taking a bite.—
Lincee Ray,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Parasites.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parasites. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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