passerby

noun

pass·​er·​by ˌpa-sər-ˈbī How to pronounce passerby (audio)
ˈpa-sər-ˌbī
plural passersby ˌpa-sərz-ˈbī How to pronounce passerby (audio)
ˈpa-sərz-ˌbī
: one who passes by
A passerby saw the accident and offered to help.

Examples of passerby in a Sentence

A passerby saw the accident and stopped to help. Passersby were asked if they were registered to vote.
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.
In May 2019, Grier stood in a Dilworth gas station’s parking lot and yelled homophobic slurs at groups of people before zeroing in on one passerby, according to a news release from prosecutors. Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2025 Asteroids are known to range in size from around 329 miles in diameter (i.e. Vesta, which accounts for 9 percent of the total mass of all asteroids) down to a matter of feet across, like today's passerby. Ian Randall, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025 But imagine the track blasting from inside your being, transforming you from passerby to paralyzed protagonist. Spin Contributor, SPIN, 12 Feb. 2025 The passerby heard the hiker’s screams and immediately called state wildlife officials for help, the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office said on Facebook on Jan. 31. Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 3 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for passerby

Word History

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of passerby was in 1567

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Passerby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passerby. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

passerby

noun
pass·​er·​by ˌpas-ər-ˈbī How to pronounce passerby (audio)
plural passersby ˌpas-ərz- How to pronounce passerby (audio)
: one who passes by

More from Merriam-Webster on passerby

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!