English

Alternative forms

• couch-surf
• couchsurf

Verb

couch surf ‎(third-person singular simple present couch surfs, present participle couch surfing, simple past and past participle couch surfed)

1. To use temporary overnight accommodations in one or more private residences, especially without cash payment.
   • 1996, James Di Salvio and E. P. Bergen (lyrics and music), “Couch Surfer”:

     Move into your house, I'm a couch surfer, Can I crash at your place again? Just one more night? I'm surfing, couch surfing

   • 2004, Elizabeth Peavey, Maine & me: ten years of Down East adventures, page 13:

     I couch-surfed in my Portland friends' guest rooms (I had a key ring that looked like it belonged to a janitor) while I tried to reinvent myself.

   • 2008, Robert Hartmann McNamara, Homelessness in America, volume 1, page 158:

     The term homeless youth can include shelter-based or street-based youth, as well as young people couch-surfing (doubled-up with friends or lovers).

   • 2016 January 15, SPIN, volume 25, page 26:

     "Couch-surfing allows musicians who couldn't tour before to get out and get their music heard," Fenton says. It also beats sleeping in a van.