View synonyms for sponger

sponger

[ spuhn-jer ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

sponger

/ ˈspʌndʒə /

informal.
a person who lives off other people by continually taking advantage of their generosity; parasite or scrounger
a person or ship employed in collecting sponges

Origin of sponger¹

First recorded in 1670–80; sponge + -er ¹

That word "sponger" as it came to Dan caused him to straighten himself up and step forward more quickly.

At last word came that the sponger had struck on the nearby shoals.

Then we walked down to his row-boat, and soon he was aboard the sponger.

Even the “sponger” felt the difficulty of parrying such a palpable notice to quit.

"I am beginning to realize that a sponger's life is anything but a bed of roses," Walter laughed.

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