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

Chiles wrapped up the Bruins’ first rotation with a handstand fall off the tall uneven bar to begin and had to restart her routine, costing her a half-point reduction.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026

At the O2, that pain seemed a distant memory, as he careened around the U-shaped stage on roller skates, pulling off a flawless moonwalk, and even freeze-framing in a handstand.

From BBC ● Mar. 30, 2025

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

From National Geographic ● Sep. 21, 2023

Hop up toward a handstand, as long as you don’t mind if your floor moves, too.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 24, 2023

I ended with a rise up, and then fell forward into a handstand, only to arch my back and let my legs curve behind me, never touching the ground.

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

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

Canine robots shook hands with fairgoers and performed handstands on their front paws.

From Seattle Times ● Aug. 18, 2023

From that stable foundation, you can hold handstands longer and with more control.

From Salon ● Mar. 31, 2023

The character he plays can’t do handstands or hula hoop or train dogs with any dexterity.

From New York Times ● Nov. 25, 2022

That afternoon we had time for practice and I found a patch of grass to try my handstands.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge

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