mooch

verb

ˈmüch How to pronounce mooch (audio)
Definition of moochnext
1
as in to beg
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to sneak
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 to wander
to move about from place to place aimlessly kids on vacation mooching about the house and looking for something to do

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mooch Rachel Morin's 'bum' killer mooched off locals before murdering mom of five, lawyer says. — FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2025 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 Anyway, my friend and I were able to mooch a ride from him to that wonderful institution known as LAX, land of inconvenience, confusion, disdain and dirty bathrooms. — Marla Jo Fisher, Orange County Register, 26 Feb. 2025 China’s Silicon Valley–slayer may have mooched off Silicon Valley after all. — Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 4 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mooch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mooch
  1. beg
  2. sneak
  3. wander
  4. freeload
  5. lurk
  6. roam
  7. steal
  8. stroll
Verb
  • By summer, buds cover the plant and, soon, soft, layered blossoms are begging you to cut them for the perfect bouquet.
    — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Canada and New England fall foliage sailings and sunny South Pacific routes are other itineraries that practically beg for a balcony stateroom.
    — Kristy Tolley, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of beg
Verb
  • The mini bar—located inside a gorgeous wooden cabinet—was filled with local spirits like pox, a Mayan liquor made of corn, sugar cane, and wheat, and Mayalen Guerrero mezcal in a bottle so beautiful I was tempted to sneak it back in my suitcase.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Wilyer Abreu and Adley Rutschman answered with RBI hits before Gasper's first Red Sox homer sneaked around Pesky's Pole in the seventh and Abreu hit an RBI single.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of sneak
Verb
  • Now, in 2026, for just 10,000 won (US$7), adults can wander the derelict site.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The scene was strikingly low-key, almost at odds with the life-altering decision many of the teenagers wandering past his table were weighing.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of wander
Verb
  • 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, 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
Definition of freeload
Verb
  • What strikes him is that the app users aren't always strangers lurking in the dark corners of the web.
    — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The idea lurking in the shadows is that rather than just individual characters, actual story arcs from the long saga of the beloved Clone Wars series could be remade or adapted into live-action.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of lurk
Verb
  • Even so, an Associated Press photographer on Thursday saw migrants still roaming the streets.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Rammagerðin Skip the puffin shops (what the locals call the run-of-the-mill souvenir stops) and set aside some time to roam around one of Rammagerðin’s locations—my favorite is tucked into Harpa, the opera house designed by Olafur Eliasson.
    — Erika Owen, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of roam
Verb
  • Officers say six firearms were recovered at one of their homes, including the one stolen in Miami Springs.
    — Chelsea Jones, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Thursday night, though, a different kind of football stole the spotlight at Sanford Stadium.
    — Sarah Spencer, AJC.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of steal
Verb
  • Julian Lucas strolled through the museum’s exhibitions to see for himself.
    — Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Year-round, the downtown plaza in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is typically a quiet place to stroll and maybe grab your morning coffee.
    — Christian Allaire, Vogue, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of stroll

Browse Nearby Words

moo
mooch
mooched
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Cite this Entry

“Mooch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mooch. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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