spectator

noun

spec·​ta·​tor ˈspek-ˌtā-tər How to pronounce spectator (audio)
spek-ˈtā-
1
: one who looks on or watches
2
: a shoe having contrasting colors with a perforated design at the toe and sometimes heel
spectator adjective
spectatorial adjective
spectatorship noun

Examples of spectator in a Sentence

The spectators lining the road cheered the racers on. The accident attracted a large crowd of spectators. I wasn't a participant in the preparations, merely a spectator.
Recent Examples on the Web Reuters — Four people got killed and at least eight were injured when a race car drifted off-road and hit spectators at a rally in northern Hungary on Sunday, authorities said. Reuters, CNN, 24 Mar. 2024 Each player has a fight song, and cheering squads — including drummers and dancers who stand on platforms near the dugouts facing the spectators — ensure that there is near-constant chanting. John Yoon Jun Michael Park Shawn Paik, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024 In November 2020, one was found in Utah's remote Red Rock desert, attracting spectators before a group of unidentified men removed it to parts unknown, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which denied any involvement in taking down the beam. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2024 Whale slowly dying According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, a part of the USA TODAY Network, by late morning, hundreds of spectators lined the shore to see the whale. Sarah Al-Arshani, USA TODAY, 10 Mar. 2024 Much of the attention went to Lolita, the Seaquarium’s lone captive orca living in a tank built for spectator shows. Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 Packed to capacity, with dozens of spectators resigned to watching from the doorway and baselines, Lillard was the most notable of a whole gallery of Oakland lifers who crammed into the bleachers to watch the game. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024 Despite pleas from local authorities, dozens of spectators swarmed the area. Elissa Robinson, Detroit Free Press, 5 Mar. 2024 Poland’s Ewa Swoboda is another athlete spectators need to keep on their radar. Katelyn Hutchison, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spectator.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from spectare to watch

First Known Use

circa 1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spectator was circa 1586

Dictionary Entries Near spectator

Cite this Entry

“Spectator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spectator. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

spectator

noun
spec·​ta·​tor ˈspek-ˌtāt-ər How to pronounce spectator (audio)
spek-ˈtāt-
: a person who looks on (as at a sports event)
spectator adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on spectator

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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