onlooker

noun

on·​look·​er ˈȯn-ˌlu̇-kər How to pronounce onlooker (audio)
ˈän-
Synonyms of onlookernext
: one that looks on
especially : a passive spectator
onlooking adjective

Examples of onlooker in a Sentence

Curious onlookers watched the ceremony. An onlooker noticed the disturbance. A crowd of onlookers gathered at the fire.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And later, the inquisitive head of a couple of snappers (don’t point too close) draws multiple onlookers on the boardwalk, which is sometimes eerily deserted but sometimes requires single-file trekking. Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026 Additional footage shows teens running through the streets as onlookers watch from inside a restaurant. Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 29 Apr. 2026 After the farm visit, the King stopped to shake a few hands of onlookers waiting behind a barricade. Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026 On a morning in April, a plane circling overhead drew anxious onlookers. ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for onlooker

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of onlooker was in 1606

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Onlooker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onlooker. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

onlooker

noun
on·​look·​er ˈȯn-ˌlu̇k-ər How to pronounce onlooker (audio)
ˈän-

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