Synonyms

beholder

American

[bih-hohl-der] / bɪˈhoʊl dər /

noun

a person who is observing or seeing something.

What is considered offensive often lies in the eyes of the beholder.

Etymology

Origin of beholder

behold ( 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.

Another is that quality is in the eye of the beholder.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

The bill may be big, but for retailers, the beauty will remain strictly in the eye of the high-end beholder.

From Barron's • Jan. 24, 2026

I was developing my own powers of observation; what’s precious, Outterbridge’s work emphasized, resided in the eye of the beholder.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2025

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and, for them, this guts-and-grit victory will look beautiful from every angle.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2025

There is no right or wrong way to add body percussion to enhance the rhyme; it is all in the ear of the beholder!

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023