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
Posing as an innocent bystander on a bike, Beom-jun plays the victim.
—
Kayti Burt, Time, 4 Apr. 2025
The man shoved the victim onto the tracks, and as bystanders rushed to pull him back onto the platform before a train rumbled into the station, the attacker took off on foot.
—Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2025
The suspect, identified by police as a 30-year-old Ukrainian from the Donetsk region, according to Reuters, was taken into custody Thursday after a bystander reportedly overpowered him.
—Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Man accused of shooting delivery drivers before hitting bystanders
Mason was driving a 2011 white BMW around 10:15 a.m.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bystander
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Kayti Burt, Time, 4 Apr. 2025
The man shoved the victim onto the tracks, and as bystanders rushed to pull him back onto the platform before a train rumbled into the station, the attacker took off on foot.
—Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2025
The suspect, identified by police as a 30-year-old Ukrainian from the Donetsk region, according to Reuters, was taken into custody Thursday after a bystander reportedly overpowered him.
—Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Man accused of shooting delivery drivers before hitting bystanders
Mason was driving a 2011 white BMW around 10:15 a.m.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bystander
Cite this Entry
“Bystander.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bystander. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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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