1
as in begging
to live by relying on someone else's generosity or hospitality without sharing in the cost or responsibility
he's always mooching off of his friends, even though he can easily pay his own way
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2
as in sneaking
to move about in a sly or secret manner
I suspect she's mooching around in the background and keeping an eye on us
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in wandering
to move about from place to place aimlessly
kids on vacation mooching about the house and looking for something to do
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mooching
On top of that, Nico is also, quite obviously, just mooching off/clinging to Mindy because he got cut off by his family.
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Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mooching
Verb
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Those in charge — as in charge as anybody can be with every policy just a judge’s ruling away from being null and void — have been begging Congress for help for years, but to no avail.—
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His parents also pleaded with him to drop the weapon while begging the cops not to shoot their son.—
Verb
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That's fine by Rodgers, who knows a thing or two about sneaking in the playoffs and going on a run.—
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Harry proposed 10 months later in November 2017, and the couple spent their first Sandringham Christmas together the next month before sneaking away to the French Riviera for New Year’s 2018.—
Verb
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The human brain is highly susceptible to often unproductive mind-wandering, and modern technology has only made the problem worse.—
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The cafe is known for its panoramic view of small planes taking off or landing but also for past concerns about customers wandering off the driveway into the path of taxiing planes.—
Verb
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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.—
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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.—
Verb
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Chairs Vintage chairs are another unsung hero lurking in most charity shops.—
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The Italian experimental duo creates a sprawling, overstimulating work that celebrates the kitsch lurking behind a wide array of musical forms.—
Verb
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Unlike coyotes, which often range even in daytime as pairs or small family groups, bobcats and foxes spend the winter roaming their territory in solitude.—
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The Detroit native also praised Rock's property, calling the home paradise as the beauty influencer lives on a lush land complete with chickens, peacocks and an assortment of roaming farm animals.—
Verb
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Bregman played his first nine seasons with the Houston Astros, winning World Series titles in 2017 and 2022 — although the first of those yielded a sign-stealing scandal that earned Bregman and his teammates plenty of scorn.—
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Jacob Elordi is known for stealing hearts on and off-screen.—
Verb
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When the King visited Greenland in April—looking jaunty and at ease while cruising on a fjord with the Prime Minister, and taking a coffee-and-cake break with locals at a cultural center in Nuuk—the contrast with Vance’s gloomy trip couldn’t have been starker.—
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Calling on Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm, Wrangell, Rudyerd Bay (Misty Fjords), and, finally, Prince Rupert in British Columbia, the itinerary also includes scenic cruising through Stephens Passage, Decision Passage, Stikine Strait, and the Behm Canal.—
Cite this Entry
“Mooching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mooching. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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