freeloader

F4R1E1E1L1O1A1D2E1R1
UK/ˈfɹiːləʊdə(ɹ)/US/ˈfɹiloʊdɚ/

noun

One who does not contribute or pay appropriately; one who gets a free ride, etc. without paying a fair share.

Similar
free ridermoocherbloodsuckerbludgerbummergadflyleechmooch
UncommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

nounfreeloader (plural freeloaders)

plural freeloaders · alternative free-loader

  1. colloquialOne who does not contribute or pay appropriately; one who gets a free ride, etc. without paying a fair share.

    Synonyms: free rider, moocher, bloodsucker, bludger, bummer, free rider, gadfly, leech

  2. CanadaNew ZealandUKA person who takes expired unsold merchandise from the back of supermarket premises.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounOne who does not contribute or pay appropriately; one who gets a free ride, etc. without paying a fair share.

Similar
free ridermoocherbloodsuckerbludgerbummerfree ridergadflyleechmoochmoocherparasitescroungescroungerscungesmell-feastspongespongersuckertrencher mate
Also see
bludgerbummerfree ridergadflymoochparasitescroungerscungesmell-feastspongesucker

Origin

From free + load + -er, originally US 1930s.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan paràsit, gorrer
  • paràsitone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • gorrerone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Chinese Mandarin 不速之客, 食客
  • 不速之客 (bùsùzhīkè)one who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • 食客 (shíkè)one who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Dutch klaploper
  • klaploperone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Finnish siipeilijä, siivellä eläjä
  • siipeilijäone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • siivellä eläjäone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • vapaamatkustajaone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
French resquilleur, gratteur
  • resquilleurone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • gratteurone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • pique-assietteone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
German Schmarotzer, Trittbrettfahrer
  • Schmarotzerone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • Trittbrettfahrerone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • Schnorrerone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Greek χαραμοφάης, παράσιτο
  • χαραμοφάης (charamofáis)one who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • παράσιτο (parásito)one who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • τζαμπατζής (tzampatzís)one who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Hungarian potyaleső, potyázó
  • potyalesőone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • potyázóone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Icelandic afæta
  • afætaone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Irish diúgaire, súmaire
  • diúgaireone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • súmaireone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Italian scroccone, approfittatore
  • scrocconeone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • approfittatoreone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • parassitaone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Japanese 食客
  • 食客one who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Latin parasītus, parasīta
  • parasītusone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • parasītaone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Norwegian Bokmål gratispassasjer
  • gratispassasjerone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Polish sęp, pasożyt
  • sępone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • pasożytone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Portuguese bicão
  • bicãoone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Russian нахле́бник, нахле́бница
  • нахле́бник (naxlébnik)one who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • нахле́бница (naxlébnica)one who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • халя́вщик (xaljávščik)one who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • халя́вщица (xaljávščica)one who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • тунея́дец (tunejádec)one who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • тунея́дка (tunejádka)one who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Spanish gorrón, gorrero
  • gorrónone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • gorreroone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • garronero (Arg., Ur.)one who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • chupópteroone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • arrimadoone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • sablistaone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • sopistaone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • sopónone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
  • pedigüeñoone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Swedish snyltare
  • snyltareone who does not contribute or pay appropriately
Welsh sbwnjwr
  • sbwnjwrone who does not contribute or pay appropriately

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

foreleader
Cite this entry
APA

freeloader. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/freeloader

MLA

“freeloader.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/freeloader. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “freeloader,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/freeloader.

Source: freeloader on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.