as in spectators
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
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Recent Examples of onlookers
The onlookers got the chance to see one of the defining features of the whales — the lower right white jaw, the group said.
—
Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Gone are the armies of assistants and trucks filled with clothing, or the crowds of onlookers hoping to catch a glimpse of a top model.
—Megan Williams, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
To counter this dynamic, Newhouse thinks lawmakers, those in charge of news coverage, and even interested onlookers should redirect attention away from individual perpetrators.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Some onlookers, on the other hand, viewed Schill's ability to strike a deal with protesters as a successful model of negotiation.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Some 26 world leaders, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, joined Xi Jinping as onlookers.
—Kerry Brown, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
Accompanied by Danny Elfman’s jazzy score, the sequence feels genuinely dangerous, as cops and onlookers alike stand dumbfounded at Kiritsis’ brazen gambit.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
Even at the time, some onlookers suspected that Ergen’s plan was to buy spectrum low and later sell high.
—Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
While Wright’s departure was encouraging news for Fitzgerald, onlookers shouldn’t run to announce a winner of the kicking competition just yet.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2025
Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Gone are the armies of assistants and trucks filled with clothing, or the crowds of onlookers hoping to catch a glimpse of a top model.
—Megan Williams, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2025
To counter this dynamic, Newhouse thinks lawmakers, those in charge of news coverage, and even interested onlookers should redirect attention away from individual perpetrators.
—Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2025
Some onlookers, on the other hand, viewed Schill's ability to strike a deal with protesters as a successful model of negotiation.
—Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Some 26 world leaders, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, joined Xi Jinping as onlookers.
—Kerry Brown, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
Accompanied by Danny Elfman’s jazzy score, the sequence feels genuinely dangerous, as cops and onlookers alike stand dumbfounded at Kiritsis’ brazen gambit.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
Even at the time, some onlookers suspected that Ergen’s plan was to buy spectrum low and later sell high.
—Monica Hunter-Hart, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
While Wright’s departure was encouraging news for Fitzgerald, onlookers shouldn’t run to announce a winner of the kicking competition just yet.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onlookers
Noun
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The outdoor artificial surface will be replaced with a grass pitch, which will become the centrepiece with a new stand for around 500 spectators.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
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Tens of thousands of spectators in Beijing looked on as the People’s Republic unveiled laser weapons, nuclear ballistic missiles, and giant underwater drones alongside armored vehicles, tanks, and parading soldiers whose marching prowess put the rest of the world to shame.—
Kerry Brown,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Some observers view this awkward remark as a sign that Israel may eventually shift its position.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
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As North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stepped off his armored green train in Beijing on Tuesday, greeted by Chinese officials shaking his hand and leading him down a red carpet, many observers noticed a young girl walking behind him, smiling politely, dressed in black with her hair tied in a bow.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For those viewers questioning why Kendra Licari virtually harassed her own daughter, the answer is not made entirely clear in the documentary, Borgman explained in the interview.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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Were there conversations viewers didn’t get to see?—
Kristen Baldwin September 2,
EW.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Onlookers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onlookers. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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