SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
hanger-on
noun
Someone who stays near a person or group mainly to obtain personal benefit.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Follower seeking benefit
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topA hanger-on stays close for advantage; a sycophant uses flattery, while a freeloader seeks free support.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See hanger-on in use
The fictional celebrity could rarely distinguish a genuine friend from a hanger-on.
Another visitor acted as a hanger-on, staying beside the best-connected members mainly to receive invitations to private events.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license