bystander
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of bystander
First recorded in 1610–20; by- + stand ( def. ) + -er 1 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As this barbershop bystander made clear, for the first time, only a prediction of another championship would be acceptable.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026
And, finally, your brother-in-law is not an objective bystander.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 8, 2026
Some analyses of bystander video appear to show a federal agent taking Pretti’s gun from his hip before the first shots were fired.
From Salon • Feb. 2, 2026
About a minute after the shooting, bystander footage shows officers shouting, “Where is the gun?” as they attempt to apply first aid to Pretti.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 25, 2026
May 10—I asked Professor Nemur about it, and he insists that I’m an innocent bystander and there’s no reason for me to become involved in what would be an unpleasant situation.
From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
