to take advantage of others for free food, entertainment, etc
transitive verb
2.
to get by freeloading
He freeloaded several meals a week
Derived forms
freeloader
noun
Word origin
[1950–55, Amer; back formation from freeloader (free + load + -er1)]This word is first recorded in the period 1950–55. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Common Market, bleep, conflict of interest, speech recognition, wiretap
Examples of 'freeload' in a sentence
freeload
She also decided not to freeload from friends.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
She subsequently has to steal, freeload and dumpster-dive to get by.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Thousands have moved abroad in search of work but some had been happy to freeload at the family home.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This may well have caused mild offence, but anyone thick-skinned enough to freeload should be able to handle it.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Although that sounds like an invitation to freeload, a neighbour's signal is often too weak to maintain a reliable connection.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It would be a breach of protocol if we didn't let them freeload at our expense.