spectator

noun

ˈspek-ˌtā-tər How to pronounce spectator (audio)
Definition of spectatornext
as in observer
someone who sees or watches something a building demolition that drew a crowd of spectators even at 3:00 a.m.

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 spectator But spectators may come for the theater of death itself, drawn by fascination with what human beings can do to one another. — Maurizio Valsania, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 Footage of drones flipping and somersaulting at extreme speeds can make even spectators feel sick. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 14 Oct. 2026 Rockets are launching to space on a near-daily basis these days, but short of livestreaming a liftoff from the comfort of your Wi-Fi router, relatively few spectators are in the right place and time to see one with their own eyes. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Close-up photographs of Hedgepeth’s face and body prompted some court spectators to cover their faces. — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spectator
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spectator
  1. observer
  2. viewer
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
Definition of observer
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
Definition of viewer

Browse Nearby Words

spectaculars
spectator
spectators
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spectator.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spectator. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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