passerby

noun

pass·​er·​by ˌpa-sər-ˈbī How to pronounce passerby (audio)
ˈpa-sər-ˌbī
plural passersby ˌpa-sərz-ˈbī How to pronounce passerby (audio)
ˈpa-sərz-ˌbī
: one who passes by
A passerby saw the accident and offered to help.

Examples of passerby in a Sentence

A passerby saw the accident and stopped to help. Passersby were asked if they were registered to vote.
Recent Examples on the Web The passerby helped the officer pull the deceased motorcyclist off the infant and cut the seatbelt to get her out of the car. Brian Brant, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 Rifle-grasping guards squint at each passerby, sizing up potential assailants. Jody García Daniele Volpe, New York Times, 18 Jan. 2024 His campaign went into a ditch earlier this week and needed the help of a passerby to get out. David Jackson, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2024 On Saturday a passerby ripped a plastic horn out of the hands of one protester, Nolasco said. Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2024 Police responding to a report of a bicyclist down on the roadway found a passerby giving the unconscious rider CPR. Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2024 First responders arrived at the scene on Milwaukee’s northwest side at about 6 p.m., Jan. 15, after a passerby saw the woman lying face down in the snow and called 911, TMJ4 reported. Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 24 Jan. 2024 One November morning that year, a passerby spotted a teenage girl lying face down near Lake Bracciano, 400 miles south of Turin. Jordan Michael Smith, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Jan. 2024 That's the advantage of an open house: The agent may just catch the eye of a passerby who becomes smitten with the property. Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Jan. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of passerby was in 1567

Dictionary Entries Near passerby

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

passerby

noun
pass·​er·​by ˌpas-ər-ˈbī How to pronounce passerby (audio)
plural passersby ˌpas-ərz- How to pronounce passerby (audio)
: one who passes by

More from Merriam-Webster on passerby

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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