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
In what qualifies as high concept by Madea-movie standards, the character is transplanted to a resort in the Bahamas along with her family and the usual hangers-on.
—
Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 14 July 2025
His attorneys portrayed his accusers as Hollywood wannabes and hangers-on who willingly hooked up with him to court opportunity, then recast the encounters as crimes years later to collect settlement funds and #MeToo approbation.
—Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2025
There is a reason so many Florida university and college presidents are these days being recruited from the ranks of politicians and political hangers-on.
—Ron Cunningham, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025
Brought audiences a unique view of the hangers-on around big stars and unleashed the immortal character of agent Ari Gold played by Jeremy Piven.
—Howard Homonoff, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hanger-on
Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 14 July 2025
His attorneys portrayed his accusers as Hollywood wannabes and hangers-on who willingly hooked up with him to court opportunity, then recast the encounters as crimes years later to collect settlement funds and #MeToo approbation.
—Jennifer Peltz, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2025
There is a reason so many Florida university and college presidents are these days being recruited from the ranks of politicians and political hangers-on.
—Ron Cunningham, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 2025
Brought audiences a unique view of the hangers-on around big stars and unleashed the immortal character of agent Ari Gold played by Jeremy Piven.
—Howard Homonoff, Forbes.com, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for hanger-on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hanger-on
Noun
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Many parasites also require multiple hosts to complete their life cycles, so their presence and/or absence can reveal a great deal about the health and complexity of an ecosystem.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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To be diagnosed, a person must test positive to two tests that detect antibodies to different antigens, or a foreign substance in the body like toxins, bacteria, chemicals or viruses, of the parasite, the CDC said.—
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Miami Herald,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Those Arabs who dared to cooperate with British efforts to restore peace faced death at the hands of his henchmen.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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At the end of the episode, tragedy strikes when Robbie’s latest robbery ends in one of his henchmen and all of the drug house’s attendants dying.—
Grace Byron,
Vulture,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hanger-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hanger-on. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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