noun

grandstand

GRANS-tand

noun

The main covered seating area at a stadium, racetrack, or arena.

"They had tickets in the grandstand, right above the finish line."

verb

To perform or behave in a showy way purely to win an audience's approval.

"The senator was accused of grandstanding for the cameras instead of debating policy."

How to Use Grandstand

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAs a noun, the main seating area at a sports venue; as a verb, to show off for an audience rather than act sincerely.

When to use it

The verb sense is often critical, implying the behavior is more about image than substance.

Common pairings

seats in the grandstand grandstanding politician grandstand play

grandstanded past tense, grandstands plural, grandstands singular

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They had tickets in the _____, right above the finish line.

A compound of "grand" and "stand," originally describing the main seating stand at a racecourse.

bandstand handstand