grandstanding

American  

[gran-stan-ding, grand-] / ˈgrænˌstæn dɪŋ, ˈgrænd- /

noun

1. the act or practice of behaving or performing in a showy way in an attempt to impress others.

   With nearly 14 million unemployed, this grandstanding over such a comparatively small retraining program (only 10,000 people) is downright insulting.

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adjective

1. being or engaging in this kind of behavior or performance.

   It’s a nice, quiet movie—no guns or car chases, no grandstanding actors, and not too fast-paced.

Etymology

Origin of grandstanding

First recorded in 1895–1900; grandstand ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun; grandstand ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective

Example Sentences

We’re going to have to get to a place where long-term deliberation is possible instead of short-term Instagram and TikTok, like little bits of information grandstanding as serious insight.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Instead, officials “chose grandstanding instead of the normal process” and arrested Williamson at home Wednesday, despite her being seriously ill and in need of a liver transplant, Scott said.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2025

Whatever the grandstanding of pundits, it can't have been an easy decision.

From BBC • Oct. 30, 2025

Both sides of parliament dismissed it as disrespectful and a failed attempt at grandstanding.

From BBC • Oct. 26, 2024

I figured he was just grandstanding, sucking up the media’s attention because he could.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Related Words

• egocentric
• egotistical
• self-absorbed
• self-indulgent
• selfish