Leech-like

Describing a person, organization, or entity that is parasitic and exploitative, deriving benefits from others without offering reciprocal value or effort. It implies an insatiable greed, a willingness to drain resources, and a lack of empathy or consideration for the individuals or systems being exploited. This behavior often involves attaching oneself to a source of wealth, influence, or stability and relentlessly extracting what is needed for one's own survival and prosperity, similar to a leech's method of feeding on a host's blood. The term also carries a negative connotation, evoking a sense of disgust and moral reprehension.

Leech-like meaning with examples

• The corrupt corporation's business practices were described as leech-like, relentlessly extracting profits from the impoverished community while leaving behind environmental devastation and widespread joblessness. They showed no care for the well being of the population. The executives lived in luxury while the local people suffered.
• After the economic collapse, some unscrupulous individuals engaged in leech-like lending, preying on the desperation of homeowners by offering predatory loans with exorbitant interest rates, driving many into further debt and despair. They saw their misery as opportunity to become wealthy at their expense. The government struggled to regulate them.
• The political campaign accused the opposing candidate of having a leech-like relationship with powerful lobbyists, accepting generous donations in exchange for promises of favorable legislation that would benefit their interests at the expense of the public. The accusations damaged the opposing candidate's approval rating.
• The gossip columnist's writing style was often described as leech-like, feeding on the private lives of celebrities to generate sensationalist content and boost readership, showing no respect for their privacy or feelings. They did not care about the people they were writing about, but only for sales.
• The parasitic plant's growth was described as leech-like as it wound around its host tree, slowly draining its nutrients and ultimately causing its decline, showing a complete disregard for the host's survival. The host's survival depended on the leech being removed.