bystander

noun

by·​stand·​er ˈbī-ˌstan-dər How to pronounce bystander (audio)
Synonyms of bystander
: one who is present but not taking part in a situation or event : a chance spectator
innocent bystanders who were injured in the shooting

Synonyms of bystander

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of bystander in a Sentence

Two innocent bystanders were injured in the shooting. bystanders rushed to help the victim of the mugging
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But the Reuters’ investigation could not determine exactly how the alleged collision occurred, and further New York Times reporting found no indication that Ross had been run over using additional bystander footage. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026 Universities started enacting trainings about consent and bystander intervention. — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026 Some takes worked and many did not, and once bystanders spotted the stars, word spread quickly. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026 Family questions what happened Cellphone video recorded by bystanders has become a central point of concern for Guttenbeil's family and community advocates. — CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bystander

Word History

First Known Use

1584, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bystander was in 1584

Rhymes for bystander

See All Rhymes for bystander

Browse Nearby Words

by-stake
bystander
by step
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bystander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bystander. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

bystander

noun
by·​stand·​er -ˌstan-dər How to pronounce bystander (audio)
: a person standing near but taking no part in what is happening
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of deportment

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All