freeload

freeload
verb
free·;load ;fr;-;l;d
freeloaded; freeloading; freeloads
Synonyms of freeload

Simple Definition
A Simple Definition is available from our Learner's Dictionary to help you understand the meaning faster.
intransitive verb

: to impose upon another's generosity or hospitality without sharing in the cost or responsibility involved : sponge
freeloader noun

Synonyms of freeload
Relevance
beg
Examples of freeload in a Sentence
after college, he freeloaded off his parents for several years before finally moving out
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Scientists tracking humpbacks off the coast of Australia have captured rare footage that shows clutches of the freeloading fish peeling away from their host in what looks like a high-speed game of chicken, just moments before the whale breaches.
—CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
The specter of freeloading corporations using more space, water, and energy for AI processing has defined the race for the 30th House of Delegates district, well outside DC.
—David Weigel, semafor.com, 13 Oct. 2025
The watch party is over for people who have been freeloading on their subscription to HBO Max.
—Chris Morris, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2025
Companies cannot be allowed to build market share by freeloading off the investments of others.
—Wayne Winegarden, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025

Word History
First Known Use
1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of freeload was in 1940
See more words from the same year