Definition of onlookernext
as in observer
someone who sees or watches something several onlookers gave chase after the thief grabbed the woman's purse

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 onlooker As a young and impressionable onlooker, Dzeko looked huge (at 6ft 4in/193cm) yet so graceful on the ball. — Amitai Winehouse, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 All the reshuffling is enough to leave an onlooker shook — or, in the case of the New Orleans Saints, Shough. — Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026 All the images were taken from a distance — on July 1, a Kansas law took effect, barring onlookers from coming within 25 feet of first responders, including ICE agents. — Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2026 For hours, officials, journalists and onlookers stood outside as the culmination of a yearslong campaign to prove wrongdoing in Fulton’s 2020 election reached a new crescendo. — Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 8 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for onlooker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onlooker
Noun
  • Still, some observers argue that holding Saturday’s Mass at Place de la Concorde and along the Champs-Élysées, near the National Assembly and the presidential palace, could be seen as a continuation of Catholicism’s privileged cultural position.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Storing explosive ammunition and stationing snipers in the middle of a busy traffic circle close to other, more secure military locations, including the Pentagon, strikes many observers as simultaneously dangerous and ridiculous.
    — Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The committee moved the paddock closer to spectators and added a vendor village, children’s zone, pony rides and petting zoo.
    — Michael Howes, Baltimore Sun, 23 Sep. 2026
  • More than 30,000 spectators are expected daily during tournament play Thursday through Sunday.
    — Eric Peterson, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Live streamers adjust their performance and content in real time based on their perception of the mood in the live chat from their viewers.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Instead, the episode viewers should watch has become one of the most notable episodes due to the characters featured.
    — Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 22 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Onlooker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onlooker. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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