hanger-on

American  

[hang-er-on, -awn] / ˈhæŋ ərˈɒn, -ˈɔn /

noun

hangers-on plural

1. a person who remains in a place or joins a group, another person, etc., especially in the hope or expectation of personal gain, even though their presence may be neither wanted nor needed.

   Synonyms:

   follower, sycophant, parasite, toady

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hanger-on British  

noun

1. a sycophantic follower or dependant, esp one hoping for personal gain

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• hangers-on
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hanger-on

1540–50; noun use of verb phrase hang on; see -er ¹

Example Sentences

Instead, the question is met with a punchline, as Kara admits to her hanger-on that she’s known as Supergirl.

From Salon • Jun. 27, 2026

When Thoreau set out for his first of his three chronicled trips to Cape Cod in 1849, he was a virtually unknown hanger-on to America’s foremost public intellectual, Ralph Waldo Emerson.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

Mulligan plays Pamela, a quirky hanger-on of the Catton family.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 16, 2023

In “The Bear,” Matty Matheson, the Canadian chef and restaurateur, plays the hanger-on and handyman Neil, his first scripted role.

From New York Times • Jun. 20, 2023

She was with that whole Zach Powers crew, and not as a hanger-on either.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman