onlooker

noun

on·​look·​er ˈȯn-ˌlu̇-kər 

ˈän-

: one that looks on

especially : a passive spectator

onlooking

ˈȯn-ˌlu̇-kiŋ 

ˈän-

adjective

Synonyms of onlooker

• observer
• spectator
• viewer

Examples of onlooker in a Sentence

Curious onlookers watched the ceremony.

An onlooker noticed the disturbance.

A crowd of onlookers gathered at the fire.

Recent Examples on the Web

At the Homo Faber craft festival in Venice this past September, one such work—its mouth opening up like a blooming flower—had onlookers resisting the urge to touch it. — Hannah Martin, Architectural Digest, 13 Oct. 2026

The outdoor temperature might have registered as freezing, but the crowd of onlookers sizzled with excitement. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026

His lack of experience in the realms of ballet, classical music, opera, and jazz, formerly the center’s mainstays, have concerned some onlookers. — News Desk, Artforum, 9 Oct. 2026

This phone’s standout feature is the adjustable privacy display, which can hide your entire screen, or just portions of it, from onlookers and strangers. — Brad Bourque, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for onlooker

• booker
• cooker
• looker
• rooker
• snooker

Kids Definition

onlooker

noun

on·​look·​er ˈȯn-ˌlu̇k-ər 

ˈän-

: spectator