Standard Lemma guide

grandstand

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈɡɹæn(d)stænd/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: G R AE1 N D S T AE2 N D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The seating area at a stadium or arena; the bleachers.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The audience at a public event.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To behave dramatically or showily to impress an audience or observers; to pander to a crowd.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • Many politicians prefer to grandstand on hot-button issues rather than enact tough policy changes.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

a stand at a racecourse or stadium consisting of tiers with rows of individual seats that are under a protective roof

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: covered stand

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: stand

5

noun

Meaning 5

the audience at a stadium or racetrack

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: audience

6

verb

Meaning 6

perform ostentatiously in order to impress the audience and with an eye to the applause

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She never misses a chance to grandstand

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: perform

History

Etymology

From grand + stand.

Across languages

Translations

58 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: трибуна (tribuna) — seating area
  • Chinese Mandarin: 看台 (kàntái) — seating area
  • Czech: hlediště — seating area
  • Czech: bariéry — seating area
  • Dutch: tribune — seating area
  • Finnish: katsomo — seating area
  • French: tribune — seating area
  • German: Tribüne — seating area
  • German: Zuschauertribüne — seating area
  • German: Sitzreihen — seating area
  • German: Zuschauersitzplätze — seating area
  • Italian: tribuna — seating area
  • Japanese: 観覧席 (kanranseki) — seating area
  • Macedonian: гледалиште (gledalište) — seating area
  • Macedonian: триби́на (tribína) — seating area
  • Manx: ardan soie — seating area
  • Polish: trybuna — seating area
  • Portuguese: arquibancada — seating area
  • Portuguese: bancada — seating area
  • Russian: трибу́на (tribúna) — seating area
  • Russian: места́ для зри́телей (mestá dlja zrítelej) — seating area
  • Spanish: gradas — seating area
  • Spanish: gradería — seating area
  • Spanish: graderío — seating area
  • Spanish: palco — seating area
  • Spanish: platea — seating area
  • Spanish: lunetario — seating area
  • Spanish: patio de butacas — seating area
  • Spanish: orquesta — seating area
  • Spanish: orquestra (disused) — seating area
  • Thai: อัฒจันทร์ (àt-tá-jan) — seating area
  • Turkish: tribün — seating area
  • Welsh: eisteddle — seating area
  • Bulgarian: публика (publika) — audience
  • Dutch: toeschouwers — audience
  • Finnish: katsomo — audience
  • French: tribune — audience
  • Italian: pubblico — audience
  • Polish: publiczność — audience
  • Russian: пу́блика (públika) — audience
  • Russian: зри́тели (zríteli) — audience
  • Spanish: audiencia — audience
  • Spanish: público — audience
  • Spanish: graderío — audience
  • Spanish: grada — audience
  • Bulgarian: парадирам (paradiram) — to behave dramatically
  • Bulgarian: играя за публиката (igraja za publikata) — to behave dramatically
  • German: sich aufspielen — to behave dramatically
  • German: sich theatralisch geben — to behave dramatically
  • German: eine Nummer abziehen — to behave dramatically
  • German: sich profilieren — to behave dramatically
  • Hungarian: feltűnősködik — to behave dramatically
  • Italian: mettersi in mostra — to behave dramatically
  • Italian: attirare l'attenzione su di sé — to behave dramatically
  • Polish: grać pod publiczkę — to behave dramatically
  • Spanish: mirar al tendido — to behave dramatically
  • Spanish: fanfarronear — to behave dramatically
  • Spanish: pavonearse — to behave dramatically
Real reading context

grandstand in complete knowledge articles