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
By that point, Miami was off the Harden train and largely bystanders in subsequent deals that sent him to Philadelphia, the Clippers and now Cleveland, which acquired him last month for Darius Garland.
—
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
The man is later seen lying motionless on the street as bystanders and police attempt to wake him.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
The man was hurt in the shooting, while Holt, who was a bystander, was shot along West Hamburg Street, according to charging documents.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Activists and politicians accused DHS officers of smashing car windows, roughing up bystanders who tried to record their activities and detaining immigrants in squalid conditions.
—Dallas Morning News, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for bystander
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Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
The man is later seen lying motionless on the street as bystanders and police attempt to wake him.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026
The man was hurt in the shooting, while Holt, who was a bystander, was shot along West Hamburg Street, according to charging documents.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Activists and politicians accused DHS officers of smashing car windows, roughing up bystanders who tried to record their activities and detaining immigrants in squalid conditions.
—Dallas Morning News, 18 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 27 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bystander
noun
by·stand·er
-ˌstan-dər
: a person standing near but taking no part in what is happening
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