View synonyms for

free ride

noun

Informal. something obtained without effort or cost:
The fact that you're the general's sondoesn't mean you'll get a free ride in the army.
Stud Poker. a round of betting in which each player checks and therefore receives another card without having to contribute any chips to the pot.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of free ride¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

American presidents going back to Dwight D. Eisenhower in the late 1950s have complained, with good reason, about Europeans getting a free ride from the US security blanket over Europe.

From

A remora who eats scraps of food dropped by Trump, is protected by Trump and gets a free ride from Trump.

From

So, except for those on a free ride — such as star athletes or the poorest students — practically everyone would still have some “skin in the game” even if there was no tuition.

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Sixty people had called a hotline that offered to give people a free ride to the polls to vote early.

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In her daughter’s documentary, Ethel conceded that she had endured “a lot of loss” but added: “Nobody gets a free ride. ... So you have your wits about you and dig in and do what you can.”

From

free rein free rider

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