free rider

American  

Or free-rider

noun

1. Informal.  a person who obtains something without effort or cost.

2. a nonunion worker who enjoys the benefits of union activities.

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Other Word Forms

• free-riding noun

Example Sentences

"To avoid free rider behaviour, Saudi Arabia could threaten to put 1 million bpd back on the market within 30 days, which would lead to a drop in prices," another OPEC+ source said.

From Reuters

The ensuing “free rider” problem — workers’ getting the benefit of representation without paying dues — helped lead to a sharp decline in organized labor, as unions in right-to-work states tried, often in vain, to keep existing members signed up instead of organizing new workplaces.

From New York Times

“I think China has benefited by being a free rider on U.S. security investments in the region for a long time.”

From Seattle Times

Tessa West, a social psychologist at New York University, wrote a field guide to bad personalities, called “Jerks at Work,” that sketches out a handful — the bulldozer, the free rider, the gaslighter and the kiss up/kick downer.

From New York Times

“It’s a free rider,” Vorländer said of the AfD.

From Washington Post