hanger-on

noun

hang·​er-on ˈhaŋ-ər-ˌȯn 

-ˌän

plural hangers-on

: one that hangs around a person, place, or institution especially for personal gain

Synonyms

• bloodsucker
• free rider
• freeloader
• leech
• moocher
• parasite
• sponge
• sponger

Examples of hanger-on in a Sentence

almost overnight, the singer was a star, and almost overnight, he was surrounded by hangers-on who wanted something

Recent Examples on the Web

Every other year, artists, collectors, curators and assorted hangers-on from all over fly into the Italian city to see what is widely considered to be the planet's most prestigious exhibition of contemporary art. —The Week Uk, theweek, 2 May 2024

Hamlet’s toadying friends, the hangers-on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, are Izzard’s own talking hands, popping up to face her like a pair of Muppets. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2024

Part of the answer has to do with Trump’s craven enablers and hangers-on. —Larry Diamond, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2021

Backstage hangers-on lusting after her billionaire husband? —Lindsay Zoladz, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024

Even the ensemble’s array of desperate journalists, paparazzi and showbiz hangers-on avoids being irritating. —Zachary Pincus-Roth, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2024

But the proliferating lists of serious aspirants include governors, senators, and members of the House, in addition to various MAGA hangers-on. —Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2024

The pop artist rose to fame by making striking screenprints from others’ photographs, assisted by young artists and hangers-on in a space aptly called the Factory. —Byirina Ivanova, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2024

Mulligan plays Pamela, a quirky hanger-on of the Catton family. —Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

hanger-on

noun

hang·​er-on

ˈhaŋ-ə-ˌrȯn,

-ˌrän

plural hangers-on

: one that spends time around a person, place, or institution in hope of personal gain