innocent bystander
Caught in crossfire
An innocent bystander is someone who happens to be present when something harmful occurs but has no involvement in causing it.
The phrase emphasizes lack of culpability—the person was simply there: Three innocent bystanders were injured in the shootout.
It appears frequently in news coverage of violence, accidents, and conflicts where uninvolved people suffer consequences.
One not involved
- passerbyOne who walks past
- outsiderOne excluded from group
- strangerPerson not yet known
- unconnectedNot joined or linked
unrelated · neutral party · third party · unengaged · detached · disinterested · impartial · unaffiliated
One who saw events
- observerOne who perceives events
- onlookerPerson who observes
- spectatorObserver at an event
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
testify · account · statement · corroborate · deposition · evidence · courtroom · trial
Person harmed in disaster
- collateral damageUnintended harm from military action
- civilianNon-military person
- noncombatantPerson not engaged in warfare
- scapegoatUnfairly blamed person
caught in crossfire · sufferer · target · prey · pawn · defenseless · vulnerable · helpless
Not done on purpose
- unwittingNot aware or conscious
- coincidentalOccurring together by luck
- chanceLikelihood of occurrence
- randomOccurring without pattern
unforeseen · collateral · incidental · inadvertent · unanticipated · unplanned · caught up in · wrong place
nonparticipant
One not involved
unconnected · unrelated · neutral party · third party · unengaged · detached · disinterested · impartial · unaffiliated · peripheral
eyewitness
One who saw events
testimony · testify · account · statement · corroborate · deposition · evidence · courtroom · trial · subpoena
casualty
Person harmed in disaster
- collateral damageUnintended harm from military action
- civilianNon-military person
- noncombatantPerson not engaged in warfare
scapegoat · caught in crossfire · sufferer · target · prey · pawn · defenseless · vulnerable · helpless · endangered
unintended
Not done on purpose
- unwittingNot aware or conscious
- coincidentalOccurring together by luck
- chanceLikelihood of occurrence
random · unforeseen · collateral · incidental · inadvertent · unanticipated · unplanned · caught up in · wrong place · unlucky
- farceslapstick, pratfall, mistaken identity, pratfalls, buffoonery
- Kidnappingkidnapping, hostage, captive, ransom note, kidnapper
innocent bystanderactive participant
perpetrator · instigator · accomplice · principal · ringleader
innocent bystanderguilty party
One held responsible
culprit · offender · wrongdoer · criminal · malefactor
innocent bystanderaggressor
One who initiates conflict
attacker · assailant · perpetrator · victimizer · combatant
innocent, bystander, innocence, innocently, innocents, stand, stander, standing, stands