as in leeches
a person who is supported by or seeks support from another without making an adequate return
a parasite who lived in the family's basement and refused to get a job or pay rent
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Recent Examples of parasites
While viral infections are the most common cause in the United States, bacteria, parasites and fungi can also cause the condition.
—
Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
The Florida Museum of Natural History notes that the pythons have also introduced harmful non-native parasites to Florida and reduced medium-sized mammal populations by more than 90%, significantly changing the Everglades ecosystem.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
The Florida Museum of Natural History notes that since arriving in Florida, Burmese pythons have also introduced harmful non-native parasites and reduced medium-sized mammal populations by more than 90%, significantly changing the Everglades ecosystem.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
The Florida Museum of Natural History notes that since arriving in Florida, the snakes have also introduced harmful non-native parasites and reduced medium-sized mammal populations by more than 90%, significantly changing the Everglades ecosystem.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Apr. 2026
And even trees raised with all the love and care in the world can fall victim to parasites, infections, inadequate care — or simply years.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Ticks cause disease, including a meat allergy Ticks are small, eight-legged bloodsucking parasites — arachnids, not insects — that feed on animals and sometimes people.
—Mike Stobbe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
He’s neutered, microchipped and fully vaccinated, and he’s been treated for parasites.
—Maryanne Dell, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
That’s a lot of parasites The parasites found spoke volumes, given how they were transmitted.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 19 Apr. 2026
Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
The Florida Museum of Natural History notes that the pythons have also introduced harmful non-native parasites to Florida and reduced medium-sized mammal populations by more than 90%, significantly changing the Everglades ecosystem.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
The Florida Museum of Natural History notes that since arriving in Florida, Burmese pythons have also introduced harmful non-native parasites and reduced medium-sized mammal populations by more than 90%, significantly changing the Everglades ecosystem.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
The Florida Museum of Natural History notes that since arriving in Florida, the snakes have also introduced harmful non-native parasites and reduced medium-sized mammal populations by more than 90%, significantly changing the Everglades ecosystem.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Apr. 2026
And even trees raised with all the love and care in the world can fall victim to parasites, infections, inadequate care — or simply years.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
Ticks cause disease, including a meat allergy Ticks are small, eight-legged bloodsucking parasites — arachnids, not insects — that feed on animals and sometimes people.
—Mike Stobbe, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
He’s neutered, microchipped and fully vaccinated, and he’s been treated for parasites.
—Maryanne Dell, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026
That’s a lot of parasites The parasites found spoke volumes, given how they were transmitted.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 19 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for parasites
Noun
-
Crappie like to hover below their prey, fining in place and examining slow-swimming invertebrates such as damselfly, dragonfly, and mayfly nymphs, as well as small leeches.—
Cory Schmidt,
Outdoor Life,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The jungle, in the Truong Son range between Laos and the South China Sea, is home to tigers and leeches.—
Nicole Young,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The tide pools around Haystack and elsewhere along Cannon Beach are extraordinary, with colorful sea stars, anemones, crabs, snails, coral, sponges, and sea slugs.—
Kara Williams,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Foam brushes aren’t the best for cleaning, as their sponges can hang on to microbes and odors.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That will weed out the frauds, freeloaders and slumlords.—
Scott Ostler,
San Francisco Chronicle,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Under Bolsonaro, state funding dried up, and the government painted artists as freeloaders wasting taxpayer money.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Key witnesses in the government’s case included Spann’s top henchmen, who cooperated with prosecutors in hopes for leniency.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
-
This is potentially disastrous, given that Josh is now in the custody of the chairwoman’s henchmen.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The book orbits around an art scandal that pulls in collectors, curators, philosophers and hangers-on.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The world has gotten a glimpse of the fawning, skeezy shamelessness of his famous hangers-on, but not enough to criminally implicate them.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
While Hollywood vampires—especially those in the Twilight series—have a devoted fan base, real-life bloodsuckers aren’t so adored.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
On the opening night of their juke joint in 1930s Mississippi, they are beset by a small band of vampires, intent on turning everyone inside into bloodsuckers.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Parasites.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/parasites. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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