as in observer
someone who sees or watches something bystanders rushed to help the victim of the mugging

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bystander Footage from Citizen saw first responders aiding the youngsters before putting them in an ambulance as bystanders watched on the busy Queens block. Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 26 May 2025 At least 12 people were injured after a tree fell on bystanders during a commencement ceremony at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California, on Friday. Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 24 May 2025 Sheriff’s officials said Do and Her, two innocent bystanders with no involvement in the fight in the nightclub, were fatally stuck by gunfire. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 24 May 2025 Family members began to crowd around the sheriff’s office vehicles, according to bystander video obtained by the outlet. Sean Neumann, People.com, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for bystander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bystander
Noun
  • Li, had helped build a major data infrastructure and processing system for Wachovia, then one of America's largest banks, and had been a keen observer of startups like WeChat and Alibaba that had transformed payments and banking in his native China.
    Stephen Pastis, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
  • Any serious observer of foreign policy knows that the U.S. intelligence community is renowned for its research and documentation of genocide.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 27 May 2025
Noun
  • Indianapolis Motor Speedway President and IndyCar Series President Doug Boles announced the attendance at 350,000 spectators during Monday night’s Indianapolis 500 Victory Celebration at the JW Marriott Hotel in downtown Indianapolis.
    Bruce Martin, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • That is rarely an issue in Melbourne and New York, with spectators who have paid serious money for prime tickets not wanting to miss out.
    Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • Similar to the scene with Sheryl, Elsbeth gets angry when the corrupt educational consultant criticizes her son’s professional choices, showing viewers a different side to the character.
    Alamin Yohannes, EW.com, 6 June 2025
  • During the 2024 regular season, league-wide attendance reached 2.4 million—up 48% year-over-year—and more than 54 million unique viewers tuned in to national telecasts.
    Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bystander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bystander. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on bystander

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!