passerby
Americannoun
-
passersby
plural
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of passerby
1560–70; pass by + -er 1, with postposing of the particle
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.
See Examples For:
But it certainly shouldn’t be expanded to the extent contemplated here—opening the federal courts to any passerby with a vague aesthetic grievance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
Restaurant terraces sit deserted, while souvenir, watersports and perfume vendors watch for the rare passerby.
From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 2026
The sight of the full battalion brings grins to every passerby.
From Salon ● Feb. 5, 2026
"It's interesting because not that many things get vandalised around here," says Lucia, a passerby who lives in the city.
From BBC ● Dec. 10, 2025
The brightest light came from within houses, or the occasional passerby who made his way holding a flaming rush or lantern before him.
From "Crispin: The Cross of Lead" by Avi
The wreck in the Danube was reportedly discovered on 2 August, when a passersby reported part of the motorcycle protruding from the rocks on the riverbank in downtown Budapest.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
And fans have responded — indeed, Abdul-Mateen has been touched by how often passersby want to talk about the show’s non-superhero aspects.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
Several other cities have followed: Chengdu deployed a mixed squad of quadruped and humanoid robots, Shenzhen is testing humanoids that shake hands with passersby, and a Wenzhou model literally rolls.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
Outside the cordoned-off area, passersby came and went to check on the famed monastery.
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
Bodies swarm inside—newsies with post-balloons, nosy courtiers, passersby.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
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.
