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
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
Unlike other, sycophantic portions of right-wing media, Kirk isn’t simply a hanger-on to the conservative elite.
—
Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Meanwhile, Oz regroups at Eve’s place with Vic, the Maroni kid, and the feeble few hangers-on from the Falcone crew.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2024
Bouncing back In short, the good economic news is real, whatever Trump and his hangers-on may say.
—Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2024
Their wealth involves a whole galaxy of servants and hangers-on who might feel threatened by a big change in their patron’s status quo.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hanger-on 
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.
Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Meanwhile, Oz regroups at Eve’s place with Vic, the Maroni kid, and the feeble few hangers-on from the Falcone crew.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2024
Bouncing back In short, the good economic news is real, whatever Trump and his hangers-on may say.
—Paul Krugman, The Mercury News, 10 Oct. 2024
Their wealth involves a whole galaxy of servants and hangers-on who might feel threatened by a big change in their patron’s status quo.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hanger-on
Dictionary Entries Near hanger-on
Cite this Entry
“Hanger-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hanger-on. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share