handstand

American  

[hand-stand] / ˈhændˌstænd /

noun

• handstands
  plural

1. an act or instance of supporting the body in a vertical position by balancing on the palms of the hands.

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verb (used without object)

handstood, handstanding

1. to perform a handstand.

handstand British  

/ ˈhændˌstænd /

noun

1. the act or instance of supporting the body on the hands alone in an upside down position

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• handstands
  plural

Etymology

Origin of handstand

First recorded in 1895–1900; hand + stand

Explanation

When a gymnast supports her body's weight on her hands, with her legs straight up in the air, she does a handstand. It takes a great sense of balance to hold a handstand very long. You'll learn how to do a handstand in a gymnastics class, eventually even doing handstands on a balance beam or vault horse. Some yoga instructors teach handstands, and acrobatic circus performers do many varieties of the handstand. There are even dives that require a diver to start from a handstand on the diving board before plunging into the pool.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

handstand handstands handstanding

Before his fall, Langton was attempting to move into a handstand position on the high bar but lost his grip and fell head first on to the mat.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

With each handstand — extending vertically like an arrow — Esparza’s teammates roared.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 15, 2025

A variation of the Weiler half, a move that is already part of Biles' routine, the new skill will include a clear hip circle forward with 1.5 turns to a handstand, per TODAY.

From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2024

"The males will do a handstand and urinate. It's a way of competing with other males."

From National Geographic ● Sep. 21, 2023

My handstand would have lasted longer if Irene hadn’t poked at my belly button, hard.

From "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" by emily m. danforth

It broke the record for consecutive, double-dutch-style handstand-skipping with two people, which involves skipping while performing handstands as ropes are turned in opposite directions.

From Reuters ● Nov. 16, 2023

Similarly, so many of the people I saw hitting their handstands in yoga classes were people who had done this for decades.

From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2023

I do handstands any chance I get, but handstands 10 minutes into class made me wonder whether these were my people after all.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 3, 2022

She did handstands, to check that her gun remained secure.

From New York Times ● Jul. 31, 2022

I spent the rest of that day practicing simple skills: doing handstands and push-ups and trying to improve my uprock.

From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi

Then, kicking away the piano bench, he goes into an old-fashioned rock-'n'-roll finale and plays standing up, kneeling down, even handstanding on the keyboard with feet high in air.

From Time Magazine Archive