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
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When the characters aboard the Enterprise stop feeding the conflict, the parasite starves.—
Joe Palaggi,
Twin Cities,
11 Feb. 2026 -
The drug, largely used to treat people or animals for infections caused by parasites, is a popular dewormer for horses.—
Rachana Pradhan,
STAT,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Some civilians residing overseas, including civilian government employees and spouses and dependents of military and civilian employees, gained absentee ballot voting rights with the 1955 Federal Voting Assistance Act.—
Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels,
The Conversation,
9 Jan. 2026
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Courts also consider household size, marital status, dependents and regional cost-of-living differences.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Sea turtles snoozed, manta rays glided, and reef fish darted by the thousands over lava pinnacles covered in corals and basket sponges.—
Betsy Andrews,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
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Clean the inside of the microwave with a cloth or sponge dipped in the vinegar water.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Ben, flanked by his henchmen, was seen as formidable and dangerous.—
Thomas Morgan,
The Conversation,
3 Feb. 2026
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Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper’s Beadle Bamford, the judge’s henchman, has a malicious ebullience all his own.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Free rider.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/free%20rider. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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