grandstanding

[ gran-stan-ding, grand- ]

noun

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.

adjective

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.

Origin of grandstanding

First recorded in 1895–1900; grandstand + -ing¹ for the noun; grandstand + -ing² for the adjective

The 2020 Australian Open was the last Grand Slam staged in unfettered fashion with packed grandstands, held in January and early February before the global pandemic wreaked havoc on sports scheduling around the world.
Plan for Australian Open includes three-week delay, strict coronavirus measures, and fans | Liz Clarke | December 2, 2020 | Washington Post
But, placing a hearing like this so close to an election deemphasized substance and incentivized politicians to grandstand and “stand up” to some of the most powerful executives in the world.
This clip is all you need to know about the latest Congressional hearing on social media | Stan Horaczek | October 30, 2020 | Popular-Science
It is grandstanding for a right rarely protected unless under immediate attack.
Politicians Only Love Journalists When They're Dead | Luke O’Neil | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
Only two of the more grandstanding public figures from Central Park case remain on the scene.
The Myth of the Central Park Five | Edward Conlon | October 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
It may be shambolic, shameless emotional grandstanding, but it is oddly moving, despite the ruthless history edit.
Sorry Putin, the Sochi Opening Ceremony Was Totally Gay | Tim Teeman | February 7, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

Resolve that this can and should be the year that zero preschoolers go hungry based on your quixotic grandstanding.
15 Achievable New Year’s Resolutions | Kelly Williams Brown | December 31, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
On Borgen, grandstanding and deceit still plague the political process.
‘Borgen’: The Television Show That Could Solve the Government Shutdown | Andrew Romano | October 6, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
If he's just doing a lot of grandstanding or if he's playing someone's political game, that's another thing.
Spring Street | James H. Richardson
You fellows better cut out the grandstanding and have a look west.
A Yankee Flier with the R.A.F. | Rutherford G. Montgomery
At any time he was ready with a sneer for what he called the cowpuncher's "grandstanding."
Steve Yeager | William MacLeod Raine
The sort of grandstanding the Karna were putting on had to be played to an audience.
In Case of Fire | Gordon Randall Garrett

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