grand·stand
ˈgran(d)-ˌstand 
1
: a usually roofed stand for spectators at a racecourse or stadium
2
: audience
: done for show or to impress onlookers
grandstanded; grandstanding; grandstands
: to play or act so as to impress onlookers
Example Sentences
Adjective
The outfielder made a grandstand play out of what should have been a routine catch.
Recent Examples on the Web
Ken Goe For The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 11 May 2023
Boles told IndyStar this week that IMS came away with roughly 12,000 unsold grandstand seats of its 232,000 around the 2.5-mile oval last year, adding that this year’s ticket sales are outpacing 2022's.
—Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 8 May 2023
Tickets for grandstand seating at the Detroit Grand Prix range from $45 to $125 per day, available at detroitgp.com, with some free general admission seating on the first day.
—Brendel Hightower, Detroit Free Press, 3 May 2023
All grandstand seats for the 48th running of North America’s biggest street race were sold out before the race weekend.
—Bruce Martin, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2023
Chicago’s Bozo show had similar moments of the victory and defeat, some of which involved simply trying to get a seat in the show’s grandstand.
—Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2023
As heavy smoke billowed from the roof of the grandstand building at Suffolk Downs, firefighters fought intensifying flames at the historic horse racing track in East Boston Monday night.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 30 May 2022
After a ruling and a drop, Stallings was faced with a difficult chip: a promotional sign to his left, a TV tower on the left and a grandstand on the right.
—Dallas News, 29 May 2022
To avoid having one team blocking spectators’ view in the low-rising seats along Fenway’s first-base line, both teams’ benches were placed on the same sideline, in front of a temporary grandstand adjoining the left-field wall known as the Green Monster.
—New York Times, 12 May 2022
Jon Bream, Star Tribune, 4 Sep. 2020
That cost is offset by the rest of the fair: the concessions, the rides, the grandstand events.
—Laura Johnston, cleveland, 29 May 2020
The air show opens to the public Friday and is also free, although grandstand tickets may be purchased on the air show’s website.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2019
The construction of new grandstand bleachers at Timber Creek has yet to be competed.
—J.c. Carnahan, orlandosentinel.com, 13 Aug. 2019
When: June 15-16 Where: Eden Park Dearborn County 4-H & Community Fair
Livestock shows and sales, demonstrations, grandstand events, rides, musical entertainment, baby shows, door prizes, vendors, food and more.
—Noelle Zielinski, Cincinnati.com, 12 June 2019
Traditional county fair includes rides, livestock, exhibits, grandstand events, entertainment and food.
—Luann Gibbs, Cincinnati.com, 21 June 2018
East grandstand supporters have rallied around a design by Hatfield, a former University of Oregon pole vaulter who has an architecture degree from the school and has gone on to fame as a shoe designer.
—Ken Goe, OregonLive.com, 9 June 2018
Reserved grandstand seats start at $65 for a single-day adult ticket.
—Christopher D Thomas, Detroit Free Press, 17 Oct. 2017
Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 13 May 2023
An early sequence, in which his tech savviness saves the day during one of Balsillie’s presentations, proves that the geek and the grandstanding salesman are the real match made in heaven.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2023
Undiplomatic grandstanding by Chinese officials has undermined Beijing’s effort to present itself to Europeans as an honest broker.
—Isabelle Khurshudyan And Christian Shepherd, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Apr. 2023
People who, even now, keep faith in the Academy Awards, and in their power to sprinkle blessings upon a noble vocation, are pained not by controversy, grandstanding, political interference, ardent arguments over diversity, or fond lampoons.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2023
Yes, in all likelihood your colleague probably is grandstanding because that’s one of the ways ambitious people get heard.
—Don Yaeger, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2023
Lawyers did not grandstand.
—Kevin Mccoy, USA TODAY, 13 May 2021
When Richmond’s streets erupted with social justice protests that spring after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, Northam made no effort to grandstand.
—Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2022
But Everett doesn’t grandstand about self-esteem or standards of beauty, as many of her contemporaries do; her ease in her own skin is liberation enough.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 27 Dec. 2021
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Noun
The Beavers hoped to have permanent grandstands in place this spring.
—Ken Goe For The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 11 May 2023
Boles told IndyStar this week that IMS came away with roughly 12,000 unsold grandstand seats of its 232,000 around the 2.5-mile oval last year, adding that this year’s ticket sales are outpacing 2022's.
—Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 8 May 2023
Tickets for grandstand seating at the Detroit Grand Prix range from $45 to $125 per day, available at detroitgp.com, with some free general admission seating on the first day.
—Brendel Hightower, Detroit Free Press, 3 May 2023
All grandstand seats for the 48th running of North America’s biggest street race were sold out before the race weekend.
—Bruce Martin, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2023
Chicago’s Bozo show had similar moments of the victory and defeat, some of which involved simply trying to get a seat in the show’s grandstand.
—Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2023
As heavy smoke billowed from the roof of the grandstand building at Suffolk Downs, firefighters fought intensifying flames at the historic horse racing track in East Boston Monday night.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 30 May 2022
After a ruling and a drop, Stallings was faced with a difficult chip: a promotional sign to his left, a TV tower on the left and a grandstand on the right.
—Dallas News, 29 May 2022
To avoid having one team blocking spectators’ view in the low-rising seats along Fenway’s first-base line, both teams’ benches were placed on the same sideline, in front of a temporary grandstand adjoining the left-field wall known as the Green Monster.
—New York Times, 12 May 2022
Adjective
After a nearly fatal case of COVID-19, Minnesota pianist Nachito Herrera will play a mini-grandstand concert.
—Jon Bream, Star Tribune, 4 Sep. 2020
That cost is offset by the rest of the fair: the concessions, the rides, the grandstand events.
—Laura Johnston, cleveland, 29 May 2020
The air show opens to the public Friday and is also free, although grandstand tickets may be purchased on the air show’s website.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2019
The construction of new grandstand bleachers at Timber Creek has yet to be competed.
—J.c. Carnahan, orlandosentinel.com, 13 Aug. 2019
When: June 15-16 Where: Eden Park Dearborn County 4-H & Community Fair
Livestock shows and sales, demonstrations, grandstand events, rides, musical entertainment, baby shows, door prizes, vendors, food and more.
—Noelle Zielinski, Cincinnati.com, 12 June 2019
Traditional county fair includes rides, livestock, exhibits, grandstand events, entertainment and food.
—Luann Gibbs, Cincinnati.com, 21 June 2018
East grandstand supporters have rallied around a design by Hatfield, a former University of Oregon pole vaulter who has an architecture degree from the school and has gone on to fame as a shoe designer.
—Ken Goe, OregonLive.com, 9 June 2018
Reserved grandstand seats start at $65 for a single-day adult ticket.
—Christopher D Thomas, Detroit Free Press, 17 Oct. 2017
Verb
For decades, members of Congress have marked the occasion of raising the ceiling with grandstanding speeches about the other side’s spending priorities.
—Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 13 May 2023
An early sequence, in which his tech savviness saves the day during one of Balsillie’s presentations, proves that the geek and the grandstanding salesman are the real match made in heaven.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2023
Undiplomatic grandstanding by Chinese officials has undermined Beijing’s effort to present itself to Europeans as an honest broker.
—Isabelle Khurshudyan And Christian Shepherd, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Apr. 2023
People who, even now, keep faith in the Academy Awards, and in their power to sprinkle blessings upon a noble vocation, are pained not by controversy, grandstanding, political interference, ardent arguments over diversity, or fond lampoons.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2023
Yes, in all likelihood your colleague probably is grandstanding because that’s one of the ways ambitious people get heard.
—Don Yaeger, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2023
Lawyers did not grandstand.
—Kevin Mccoy, USA TODAY, 13 May 2021
When Richmond’s streets erupted with social justice protests that spring after the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, Northam made no effort to grandstand.
—Washington Post, 9 Jan. 2022
But Everett doesn’t grandstand about self-esteem or standards of beauty, as many of her contemporaries do; her ease in her own skin is liberation enough.
—Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 27 Dec. 2021
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'grandstand.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near grandstand
Cite this Entry
“Grandstand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grandstand. Accessed 30 May. 2023.
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Kids Definition
grandstand
noun
grand·stand
-ˌstand
: a usually roofed stand for spectators at a racecourse or stadium
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