as in spectators
someone who sees or watches something
several onlookers gave chase after the thief grabbed the woman's purse
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Recent Examples of onlookers
Some onlookers wandering past asked what all the fuss was about.
—
Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2026
According to onlookers, Mace exploded.
—Moira Donegan, New Yorker, 9 June 2026
That day also featured a private visit to the Palermo Gallery of Modern Art, which was closed to the public to allow the couple's guests to admire its collections away from photographers and onlookers.
—Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 7 June 2026
California has garnered outsized national attention as onlookers await the outcome of both primary elections.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 7 June 2026
The humor resulting from the combination of apparent authenticity, slick social media editing and a compelling mission has prompted speculation among onlookers about the band's true origin.
—Max Bacall , Tessa Hoyos , Nikos Degruccio, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
Woody Harrelson chitchats happily with a circle of onlookers.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 June 2026
Baraka’s play presents utterance as a shared medium to confront onlookers with historical racial violence and the resilience of Black Americans.
—Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
Earlier this month, Joby launched a massive campaign in New York City that included the city's first-ever point-to-point eVTOL flight and offered onlookers on Manhattan's West Side a close-up.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 29 May 2026
Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2026
According to onlookers, Mace exploded.
—Moira Donegan, New Yorker, 9 June 2026
That day also featured a private visit to the Palermo Gallery of Modern Art, which was closed to the public to allow the couple's guests to admire its collections away from photographers and onlookers.
—Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 7 June 2026
California has garnered outsized national attention as onlookers await the outcome of both primary elections.
—Jay Stahl, USA Today, 7 June 2026
The humor resulting from the combination of apparent authenticity, slick social media editing and a compelling mission has prompted speculation among onlookers about the band's true origin.
—Max Bacall , Tessa Hoyos , Nikos Degruccio, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
Woody Harrelson chitchats happily with a circle of onlookers.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 June 2026
Baraka’s play presents utterance as a shared medium to confront onlookers with historical racial violence and the resilience of Black Americans.
—Literary Hub, 29 May 2026
Earlier this month, Joby launched a massive campaign in New York City that included the city's first-ever point-to-point eVTOL flight and offered onlookers on Manhattan's West Side a close-up.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onlookers
Noun
-
The striking cosmic phenomenon presents spectators with a rare opportunity to see multiple planets appear close together in the night sky – at least, from Earth's vantage.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
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But rodeo attendees include hundreds of out-of-state cowboys and thousands of spectators, who come from across the country for calf roping, steer wrestling, bull riding, and the Pony Express, an eight-man relay race on horseback, which originated at Oklahoma rodeos in the early 1970s.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Noun
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And Armenia’s path to greater integration with Europe is not expected to be an easy one, observers say.—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
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For many observers, that represents soccer’s arrival in the United States.—
Jonathan Grella,
Boston Herald,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The 79th Tony Awards telecast kicked off with a bang by giving out two major awards in the first 30 minutes — and before viewers could blink both John Lithgow and Laurie Metcalf had each won the third Tony Award of their careers.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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Millions of viewers from around the world watch the bears in real time on the zoo’s Panda Cam.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Onlookers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onlookers. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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