Definition of onlookernext
as in observer
someone who sees or watches something several onlookers gave chase after the thief grabbed the woman's purse

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 onlooker His lack of experience in the realms of ballet, classical music, opera, and jazz, formerly the center’s mainstays, have concerned some onlookers. — News Desk, Artforum, 9 Oct. 2026 This phone’s standout feature is the adjustable privacy display, which can hide your entire screen, or just portions of it, from onlookers and strangers. — Brad Bourque, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026 In just a couple of months, fields in Palm Beach County’s Ag Reserve will be full of players from around the world competing on horseback, scoring goals with mallets and a ball as onlookers tailgate on the sidelines. — Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026 The fact that Simmons and O’Hare frequently butt heads publicly makes the race even more compelling to onlookers, Rottinghaus said. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for onlooker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for onlooker
Noun
  • Coleman found instructive a 1938 ruling in favor of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who challenged a radio station that placed observers on a rooftop next to Forbes Field and paid them to provide play-by-play for an unauthorized radio broadcast.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • While international observers initially blamed Moscow for the blasts, investigators later found suggestions that Ukrainian state security agencies may have been involved — even though Ukraine counts Germany as one of its closest allies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Lutheran is required to complete a detailed Corrective Action Plan addressing game management, spectator conduct, staff training and school culture.
    — Jennifer McRae, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray described the shooting as a politically motivated act of violence carried out in front of children and hundreds of live spectators.
    — Mackenzie Chase, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Inspired by Ektachrome, a color-reversal film stock widely used during the 1970s, this presentation allows viewers to immerse themselves into the vivid colors and style of the 1973 Easter Island landscape.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Many viewers have told us, ‘Thank you for trusting us to read between the lines and for not hammering everything over our heads.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Onlooker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/onlooker. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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