Thesaurus results for BYSTANDER

bystander

noun

ˈbī-ˌstan-dər

Definition of bystander

as in observer

someone who sees or watches something bystanders rushed to help the victim of the mugging

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 bystander Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin confirmed two people were killed, and an innocent bystander was shot. — Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 When first responders arrived, bystanders were already performing CPR. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 July 2026 And robotic martial artists can be dangerous to bystanders, as was recently demonstrated at a Chinese amusement park, where a G1 wearing a clown wig kicked a small child in the stomach. — Stephen Witt, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 This avian bystander may have recognized a fellow bird of prey in Coriolanus, whose role in the Roman ecosystem is necessary yet not fit for all purposes in a young democracy beset with growing pains. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bystander

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bystander

Noun

His game-calling drew consistent criticism from fans and media observers.

— Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
This development is often overlooked because many Western observers continue to see China’s space program as a purely state-run enterprise.

— Rainer Zitelmann, Fortune, 2 July 2026

Definition of observer

Noun

Kittrell hopes the series will reintroduce viewers to artists who don’t get the same attention as Nirvana and Pearl Jam, like L7 and Spin Doctors.

— Angelina Mazza, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
The pro-government newspaper Sabah said dozens of viewers were offended by jokes on religion and filed complaints against the comedian, prompting the investigation.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026

Definition of viewer

Browse Nearby Words

byroads

bystander

bystanders

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bystander.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bystander. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of bystander

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on bystander

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gambol

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes