as in observers
someone who sees or watches something
a building demolition that drew a crowd of spectators even at 3:00 a.m.
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Recent Examples of spectators
Here’s what runners, fans and spectators need to know about the three-day event.
—
Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Feb. 2026
The chamber estimated that more than 100,000 spectators crowded the streets to celebrate the Year of the Horse.
—Staff Report, Daily News, 22 Feb. 2026
Some 12,000 spectators will join the athletes and officials for the closing ceremony.
—Colleen Barry, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
Some 12,000 spectators joined the athletes and officials for the closing ceremony, which was much more intimate affair than the opening ceremony starring Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli inside Milan’s San Siro soccer stadium, attended by more than 60,000 people.
—ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026
Speaking as spectators in the media nosebleed seats, this ceremony was more fun to watch than the opening, which was still a total blast.
—Pien Huang, NPR, 22 Feb. 2026
The arena brought competitors and spectators who supported nearby restaurants and businesses, boosting the local economy.
—Perry Majidi, Dallas Morning News, 19 Feb. 2026
Once made of glass and cherished by parade spectators who were lucky enough to catch them, today cheap plastic beaded necklaces from overseas are tossed from floats by the handful.
—Travis Loller, Arkansas Online, 16 Feb. 2026
North Providence, which is involved with one of the co-op teams, told CNN the shooting involved spectators and happened around the start of the first period.
—Mark Morales, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026
Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Feb. 2026
The chamber estimated that more than 100,000 spectators crowded the streets to celebrate the Year of the Horse.
—Staff Report, Daily News, 22 Feb. 2026
Some 12,000 spectators will join the athletes and officials for the closing ceremony.
—Colleen Barry, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2026
Some 12,000 spectators joined the athletes and officials for the closing ceremony, which was much more intimate affair than the opening ceremony starring Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli inside Milan’s San Siro soccer stadium, attended by more than 60,000 people.
—ABC News, 22 Feb. 2026
Speaking as spectators in the media nosebleed seats, this ceremony was more fun to watch than the opening, which was still a total blast.
—Pien Huang, NPR, 22 Feb. 2026
The arena brought competitors and spectators who supported nearby restaurants and businesses, boosting the local economy.
—Perry Majidi, Dallas Morning News, 19 Feb. 2026
Once made of glass and cherished by parade spectators who were lucky enough to catch them, today cheap plastic beaded necklaces from overseas are tossed from floats by the handful.
—Travis Loller, Arkansas Online, 16 Feb. 2026
North Providence, which is involved with one of the co-op teams, told CNN the shooting involved spectators and happened around the start of the first period.
—Mark Morales, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spectators
Noun
-
In New York, for example, observers will see the moon slip into totality and turn blood red but maximum eclipse, when the moon moves deepest into Earth's shadow, will occur after moonset and won't be visible.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
24 Feb. 2026
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The episode, which dragged down the shares of larger alternative asset managers including Apollo, KKR and Blackstone, led some market observers to wonder if the start of a broader downturn in credit had begun.—
Hugh Son,
CNBC,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
It was edited out of the broadcast on BBC One and Davidson left his seat midway through the ceremony, but Cumming later addressed the situation to viewers.—
Emily Zemler,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Unlike in past years, when viewers stateside could stream the ceremony live on BritBox, in 2026 both the red carpet and the BAFTAs themselves will air on E!—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
22 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spectators.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spectators. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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