bystander
noun
by·stand·er
ˈbī-ˌstan-dər 
: one who is present but not taking part in a situation or event : a chance spectator
innocent bystanders who were injured in the shooting
Examples of bystander in a Sentence
Two innocent bystanders were injured in the shooting.
bystanders rushed to help the victim of the mugging
Recent Examples on the Web
Morales said two officers were flagged down by a bystander reporting a heated argument.
—
Nikiya Carrero, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Authorities alleged Goldberg followed her and tried to drown her before a bystander intervened.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Both the bystander and the suspect were initially taken to Boston Medical Center South in Brockton for non-life threatening injuries, but the suspect was transferred later to a Boston hospital for further treatment.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
With one quick push of a button, BLINGSTING Safety Alarms ear-piercing 125-decibel personal alarm sounds, intended to startle an aggressor and immediately alert bystanders that there’s a problem.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bystander
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nikiya Carrero, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Authorities alleged Goldberg followed her and tried to drown her before a bystander intervened.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Both the bystander and the suspect were initially taken to Boston Medical Center South in Brockton for non-life threatening injuries, but the suspect was transferred later to a Boston hospital for further treatment.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
With one quick push of a button, BLINGSTING Safety Alarms ear-piercing 125-decibel personal alarm sounds, intended to startle an aggressor and immediately alert bystanders that there’s a problem.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bystander
Cite this Entry
“Bystander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bystander. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bystander
noun
by·stand·er
-ˌstan-dər
: a person standing near but taking no part in what is happening
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
