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

See Examples For:

hanger-on hangers-on

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

Most of his close friends work in music, including Kenny Beats, who composed Oliver’s songs for “Lurker,” and Zack Fox, who plays a hanger-on in the film and is a DJ in real life.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2025

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

Jamie saw himself as the fresh young star and Roy as the aging, hanger-on standing in his way.

From Salon ● Mar. 25, 2023

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

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman

The last of them, these spent survivors, these hangers-on, had trudged to the Citrus Show to talk about the real problem, which was the disease.

From Slate ● Apr. 20, 2026

Everyone acted up: secretaries, senior partners, mailroom clerks, hangers-on.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025

A political get together, a party conference for the politicians, members, and associated hangers-on, would never transform a prime minister's fortunes with the public overnight.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2025

If billiards has the reputation of being a pastime for gamblers, hustlers and hangers-on, the female-centric biweekly pool tournament at 4100 Bar offers a friendly, supportive alternative.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2024

The other boosters and parents and hangers-on traveled from one end of the practice field to the other in friendly little packs.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger