What does scrounger mean?
A scrounger is someone who gets money, food, opportunities, or advantages by asking others or exploiting whatever is available, usually without contributing an equivalent amount. The word is strongly critical: it implies both persistence and a willingness to live at other people's expense. It is often used for a person who begs, borrows, or seeks favors, but it can also describe someone who opportunistically claims credit, resources, or advantages. In British English, “scrounger” is especially associated with people who make a habit of asking others to provide something. The related verb “scrounge” is less openly hostile, although it can still suggest taking unfair advantage. Overall, the word is more than a neutral description of someone who seeks help; it conveys disapproval of perceived selfishness or dependence.
nounA person who obtains money, food, or other resources by asking, pleading, or taking whatever opportunities are available, often in a persistent or opportunistic way.
- A person who persistently asks others for money, food, or other resources.
- A person who opportunistically acquires whatever advantages or possessions are available.
- A person who is regarded as living or profiting at other people's expense.
"Rather than work another shift, he became a scrounger, moving from one friend to another for meals."
"The office had a reputation for fostering teamwork, but one employee was regarded as a scrounger who took credit for everyone else's work."
"When the supplies ran short, he became a scrounger, asking each volunteer whether they had anything spare."
The plural is formed by adding -s; the word is used mainly in the plural when describing a group of people perceived as opportunists or parasites.
"The article portrayed the tenants as scroungers who made no effort to find work."
A scrounger may sound like someone who merely saves, but the word's sharpest implication is that the resource comes from someone else.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does scrounger come from?
The word appeared in the early 19th century, derived from the verb “scrounge,” whose origin is uncertain. The verb is related in meaning to obtaining something by persistent asking or by any available means. The noun “scrounger” developed to describe a person characterized by this behavior.
Related word forms
How scrounger is actually used
The term is generally disparaging and may sound informal or accusatory. It is more common in British English, although it is also understood in US English.
Easily confused with scrounger
A freeloader is someone who avoids paying or contributing and benefits from others' generosity, while a scrounger more specifically implies persistently seeking resources through begging or opportunism.
A miser is primarily someone who hoards money and refuses to spend it, whereas a scrounger obtains resources from other people.