Meaning & use
piggybacking
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“piggybacking” is a form of “piggyback”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbintransitiveinformal
Using something that already exists, such as another person's success, system or service, to get a benefit for yourself.
Grammar: Usually followed by on or off: piggybacking on a rival's fame.
Patterns
- piggybacking on something
- piggybacking off someone
The start-up is piggybacking on the popularity of a bigger brand.
He was accused of piggybacking off his colleague's research.
Piggybacking on the existing cable network saved the company millions.
verbtransitive or intransitive
Carrying someone on your back and shoulders, with their arms around your neck and legs around your waist.
Grammar: Takes an object when you carry a person: piggybacking his sister.
Patterns
- piggybacking someone
- piggybacking across something
Dad was piggybacking the youngest child up the hill.
The children were piggybacking around the garden.
She ended the hike piggybacking her tired friend.
verbintransitivecomputing
Connecting to someone else's wireless network, or entering a secure area behind an authorized person, without permission.
Grammar: Often followed by on: piggybacking on the neighbor's Wi-Fi.
Patterns
- piggybacking on something
Piggybacking on a neighbor's Wi-Fi without asking is not a good idea.
The guard stopped a man piggybacking through the secure door.
The audit found staff piggybacking into restricted rooms.
Common combinations
- piggybacking on success
- The film is piggybacking on the success of the original.
- piggybacking off someone's work
- She resented him piggybacking off her work.
- piggybacking on a network
- They were piggybacking on a network they did not own.
- piggybacking a child
- He spent the afternoon piggybacking his niece around the park.
- piggybacking on a trend
- The brand is piggybacking on the healthy-eating trend.
Synonyms and how they differ
- exploiting
- Exploiting is stronger and suggests unfair use, while piggybacking can be mild or even clever.
- capitalizing on
- Capitalizing on is neutral and businesslike, whereas piggybacking suggests riding on another's effort.
- freeloading
- Freeloading implies taking without ever contributing, which is harsher than piggybacking.
- tailgating
- Tailgating is the specific term for following someone through a secure door, a narrower sense of piggybacking.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: piggybacking or tailgating?
piggybacking vs tailgating
Tailgating most often means driving too close to the car in front. Piggybacking is broader and covers using others' resources.
Practice
The small bakery is ___ on the fame of the famous restaurant next door.
Choose one answer.
Piggybacking on something means benefiting from its success. Pioneering would mean doing something new, which does not fit.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “piggybacking”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.