bystander
noun
by·stand·er
ˈbī-ˌstan-dər 
: one who is present but not taking part in a situation or event : a chance spectator
innocent bystanders who were injured in the shooting
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
But protests are designed to provoke, to shock bystanders out of complacency.
—
Ruth Margalit, The New Yorker, 9 May 2024
While many fans have been eating up the drama, Questlove is dismayed by the collateral damage to the rappers' innocent bystanders.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for bystander 
Ruth Margalit, The New Yorker, 9 May 2024
While many fans have been eating up the drama, Questlove is dismayed by the collateral damage to the rappers' innocent bystanders.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for bystander
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bystander.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near bystander
Cite this Entry
“Bystander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bystander. Accessed 15 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bystander
noun
by·stand·er
-ˌstan-dər
: a person standing near but taking no part in what is happening
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