passerby
Americannoun
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.
As the tram careens past, a delivery man can been seen leaping to safety from his bicycle, while a passerby also races out of the way.
From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026
The sight of the full battalion brings grins to every passerby.
From Salon • Feb. 5, 2026
There was no expectation of notice, but a passerby took a photo and posted it online.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 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
Outside, there was a racket of crows, startled by some passerby in the street.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
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.
