How to Use onlooker in a Sentence

onlooker

noun
  • A crowd of onlookers gathered at the fire.
  • An onlooker noticed the disturbance.
  • Curious onlookers watched the ceremony.
  • Over time, the area filled with still more onlookers.
    — Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Not that an onlooker could tell.
    — Danielle Parker, CBS News, 9 June 2026
  • Prince William even had a joke up his sleeve for the onlookers.
    — Megan Decker, Harper's BAZAAR, 18 May 2018
  • An onlooker asks Ivery for his name.
    — Nicquel Terry Ellis, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Some in the small group of hushed onlookers were tearful.
    — ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
  • At first, onlookers didn’t know what to do with these objects.
    — Jillian Steinhauer, The New Republic, 1 Apr. 2020
  • One onlooker turned away from the road and placed her hands on her head in response.
    — Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2023
  • The robots came the ice rink, as onlookers pressed up against the glass to watch.
    — Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Halsey isn’t afraid to stand up for herself — even in front of a huge crowd of onlookers.
    — De Elizabeth, Teen Vogue, 2 Feb. 2020
  • Fans threw rice at the couple and one onlooker even gave them a wedding cake.
    — Jacklyn Krol, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2023
  • The curious sight of a large ship so close to shore had drawn no onlookers at all.
    — Samanth Subramanian, The Dial, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The woman pointed to the back of the plane as onlookers turned their heads.
    — Irving Mejia-Hilario, Dallas News, 4 July 2023
  • A number of onlookers can be seen recording the scene on their phones.
    — Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 14 May 2025
  • Some onlookers even stopped to snap a picture or two from outside the gates.
    — Kristen Bateman, The Cut, 4 May 2018
  • Hill is here to school onlookers in the art of the noteworthy above-neck vibe.
    — Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 7 May 2018
  • Video footage showed her being brought to the van by onlookers and driven away.
    — David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 10 Sep. 2024
  • Other videos showed at least six fire trucks at the scene and some onlookers weeping.
    — Zen Soo, Anchorage Daily News, 22 June 2023
  • Mars glows red in the predawn hours, hovering over the crowds of onlookers.
    — Robin Seemangal, Popular Mechanics, 16 Aug. 2018
  • The man was then led off as onlookers watched in disbelief.
    — Emma Bussey , Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Some onlookers wandering past asked what all the fuss was about.
    — Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 9 June 2026
  • He was photographed with blood on his face and fell to the ground before a crowd of onlookers.
    — Donica Phifer, Axios, 13 July 2024
  • To many onlookers, the protest breaks with the stereotype that women must stay in the home.
    — Swati Gupta, Manveena Suri and Julia Hollingsworth, CNN, 14 Jan. 2020
  • Should conflict arise from a jealous onlooker, pay them no heed.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Its carcass washed up not far from a coastal trail, drawing onlookers.
    — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 22 June 2026
  • In the buildings that keep lights on at night, onlookers can peer in and see the vast emptiness.
    — Andrew Keh, New York Times, 12 July 2018
  • On the first floor two games of mah-jong are being played, watched by a handful of onlookers.
    — The Economist, 12 Apr. 2018
  • So, Nitzany wrangled and grabbed the python while onlookers stood back and watched.
    — Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 17 June 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'onlooker.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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