sponger vs parasite

sponger and parasite both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
sponger	Yes	No	No	No
parasite	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, sponger and parasite are synonyms defined as:

sponger and parasite: a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage

Other synonyms of sponger include leech, sponge.

sponger (noun)	parasite (noun)
a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage	an animal or plant that lives in or on a host (another animal or plant); it obtains nourishment from the host without benefiting or killing the host
a workman employed to collect sponges	a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage