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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 Police were already at the scene, along with a bystander who was able to indicate where the men had last been seen in the water. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026 The vessel was out of Stockton, and bystanders misinterpreted steam coming from it as smoke, officials said. Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026 Authorities said ​the suspect was pinned to the ground by bystanders before officers arrived on the scene. Reuters, NBC news, 15 July 2026 Olise was reduced to a bystander, such was the discipline and positioning of Rodri and Fabian Ruiz. Adam Crafton, New York Times, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bystander
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bystander
Noun
  • While the conflict has thus far been driven by advances in aerial drone technology, many observers predicted that the next major battlefield innovation would be the widespread employment of ground robots.
    Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Complicating matters is that the moon is closest to an observer (and therefore is largest in the sky) when directly overhead, at the zenith.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 17 July 2026
Noun
  • That first meeting was the only one I’d ever attend as a pure spectator.
    Claire Stapleton, New Yorker, 18 July 2026
  • The real emotion came in the twilight hours with no spectators around — DeChambeau standing in high grass on the fifth hole with two rules officials, pleading his case and ultimately losing the argument.
    Doug Ferguson, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
Noun
  • Throughout the season, viewers see Hayward express jealousy when Bienvenue works alongside another female nanny without her around.
    Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 16 July 2026
  • Unlike an actual sporting event, of course, the outcome is engineered, which doesn’t make the golf scenes less suspenseful or exciting for the viewer.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Bystander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bystander. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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