as in parasite
a person who is supported by or seeks support from another without making an adequate return
whenever the gang went out for pizza, the leech in the group always had an excuse for not paying his fair share
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Recent Examples of leech
Nolan Finley, Twin Cities, 4 Mar. 2025
Are you surrounded by individuals who drain your energy (i.e., leeches and loafers)?
—Glenn Llopis, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
Chris Waugh, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Her relationship with Tanya had many layers, and wasn’t just about a wealthy woman emotionally leeching off of a poor one.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leech
Noun
Americans know the federal government is squandering too many of their dollars on low-return programs, allowing too much of their money to be siphoned off by grifters and supporting too many leeches who are bleeding taxpayers dry.
—Nolan Finley, Twin Cities, 4 Mar. 2025
Are you surrounded by individuals who drain your energy (i.e., leeches and loafers)?
—Glenn Llopis, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
Verb
How a disruptive summer of change in the boardroom, that struggle to comply with PSR, failing to sign a first-XI player, uncertainty in the dressing room, all leeched into early results.
—Chris Waugh, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Her relationship with Tanya had many layers, and wasn’t just about a wealthy woman emotionally leeching off of a poor one.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for leech
Recent Examples of Synonyms for leech
Noun
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Water, shellfish and unwashed fruits and vegetables can also harbor infectious parasite eggs.—
Bill Sullivan,
The Conversation,
28 May 2025
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The woman, whose name is redacted from the fire department’s report, said her friend Giancarlo decided to use a lighter to remove the blood-sucking parasite.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
20 May 2025
Verb
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These disposable melamine sponges work well for cleaning a variety of items, but they shouldn't be used on everything.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Apr. 2025
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Cotton sponges up water and refuses to let go, turning a light rain shower into a grueling, soggy, all-day affair.—
Alice Bennett,
Travel + Leisure,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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And again summer approaches and one must sift through all those spoiling invitations that inevitably come rolling in when one is an indolent (and impoverished) European aristocrat — who needs to freeload off the rich and hardworking.—
James Fallon,
Footwear News,
24 May 2025
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Minutes before Carney’s arrival, Trump set a contentious tone by accusing Canada of freeloading on trade and the nations’ geopolitical alliance.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
6 May 2025
Verb
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Rachel Morin's 'bum' killer mooched off locals before murdering mom of five, lawyer says.—
FOXNews.com,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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Suleman also opened up about her financial insecurity in the early 2010s and how the media painted her to be mooching off the government.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
8 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Leech.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/leech. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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