bystander
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of bystander
First recorded in 1610–20; by- + stand ( def. ) + -er 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Someone who observes an event without taking part in it is a bystander. The police may want to interview any bystanders who witnessed a robbery, to get a description of the robber. A bystander does exactly what the word describes: they stand by, watching what's happening but not participating. You'll often hear the phrase "innocent bystander." For example, a newspaper might report on a fight breaking out after a football game, resulting in injuries to innocent bystanders. Before this word was coined around 1610, stander-by was common.
Vocabulary lists containing bystander
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
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"A Job for Valentin" and "In the Heart of a Hero"
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Because They Marched
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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.
Juan kept his son afloat long enough for a bystander to pull Kevin from the water relatively unharmed, Michelle, 44, said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026
That seems fair to me, as a bystander.
From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026
When the police arrived, he pointed them in the direction the man had headed before waiting alongside another female bystander with Shine until an ambulance arrived.
From BBC • May 3, 2026
About a month after Sheridan was arrested, prosecutors moved to dismiss the case after a bystander video surfaced showing clearly that Sheridan hadn’t assaulted Bovino.
From Salon • Apr. 15, 2026
It is hard for a bystander not to do so.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
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.
