as in spectators
someone who sees or watches something
several onlookers gave chase after the thief grabbed the woman's purse
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 onlookers
With a hundred or so onlookers seated in chairs positioned in a semicircle in the library lobby, the contestants took turns busting rhymes.
—
Jeff Pearlman, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025
The Owensboro news media and some white onlookers insist that when the lady sheriff didn’t show up to act as executioner, there was anger in the press’s unmet expectations, which then was taken out on the crowd, with the reporters lying about the audience’s unruly behavior.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
The curious sight of a large ship so close to shore had drawn no onlookers at all.
—Samanth Subramanian, The Dial, 14 Oct. 2025
In a video circulated late on Monday, Hamas fighters dragged seven men with their hands tied behind their backs into a Gaza City square, forced them to their knees and shot them from behind, as dozens of onlookers watched from nearby storefronts.
—Maayan Lubell, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
Live video showed a convoy of five Red Cross vehicles carrying the remaining hostages leaving Khan Younis in southern Gaza, to the cheers of onlookers and surrounded by Hamas officers.
—Yamiche Alcindor, NBC news, 14 Oct. 2025
There’s Maye, who continues to leave onlookers no option but to believe his Year 2 leap is real and spectacular.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
Images published by The Sun show police officers and investigators in high-visibility vests inspecting the area as onlookers gathered nearby.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2025
Jurors, journalists and scores of public onlookers obsessively dissected the case.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
Jeff Pearlman, Rolling Stone, 17 Oct. 2025
The Owensboro news media and some white onlookers insist that when the lady sheriff didn’t show up to act as executioner, there was anger in the press’s unmet expectations, which then was taken out on the crowd, with the reporters lying about the audience’s unruly behavior.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
The curious sight of a large ship so close to shore had drawn no onlookers at all.
—Samanth Subramanian, The Dial, 14 Oct. 2025
In a video circulated late on Monday, Hamas fighters dragged seven men with their hands tied behind their backs into a Gaza City square, forced them to their knees and shot them from behind, as dozens of onlookers watched from nearby storefronts.
—Maayan Lubell, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
Live video showed a convoy of five Red Cross vehicles carrying the remaining hostages leaving Khan Younis in southern Gaza, to the cheers of onlookers and surrounded by Hamas officers.
—Yamiche Alcindor, NBC news, 14 Oct. 2025
There’s Maye, who continues to leave onlookers no option but to believe his Year 2 leap is real and spectacular.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 14 Oct. 2025
Images published by The Sun show police officers and investigators in high-visibility vests inspecting the area as onlookers gathered nearby.
—Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2025
Jurors, journalists and scores of public onlookers obsessively dissected the case.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onlookers
Noun
-
Phone calls were made and spectators just started showing up, hoping to witness history, Kraye said.—
Lou Ponsi,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Located in Santa Barbara County, Vandenberg has become well-known among spectators who are eager to see rockets thundering high into the sky.—
Eric Lagatta,
AZCentral.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The jacket was identified by public observers and Loro Piana was heavily criticized on social media for not condemning Putin.—
Steve Salter,
CNN Money,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Political observers say Sheffield’s achievements are notable for a council member who was more progressive and radical in her ideas in a city with a strong-mayor form of government and law department that serves both the mayor and the council.—
Violet Ikonomova,
Freep.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
However, since the announcement, discourse around who should and shouldn’t be given wings exposed just how stuck in the past some viewers still are.—
Essence,
Essence,
16 Oct. 2025
-
The speaker of the House has made dozens of media appearances since, even appearing on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal to take calls from viewers, which a speaker hasn’t done in over two decades.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onlookers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onlookers. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share