When someone is said to be “grandstanding,” it means that he or she is putting on an ostentatious performance with the goal of impressing people, and that the performance includes a great deal of exaggeration. Essentially, someone is putting on a show when he or she is grandstanding, often to the detriment of the message that he or she is trying to convey. A wide number of people can be accused of grandstanding; generally, any public figure who abuses his or her position to get a point across may be considered to be grandstanding, and private citizens who indulge in a bit of hyperbole may also find themselves accused of grandstanding.

The term references a grandstand, a large amphitheater used for performances. The idea is that when people perform in an amphitheater, they are forced to over-act so that they can be seen by people in the upper levels; without being extremely vocal and obvious, the nuances of the performance might be miss. When someone is accused of grandstanding, it means that a show is being put on which is perhaps a bit too excessive for the venue.

Often, grandstanding involves a great deal of exaggeration, often out of a genuine desire to promote a cause with passion. Grandstanding techniques can also be used in an attempt to intimidate people; for example, a prosecutor might grandstand in the hopes of cowing a witness on the stand, or to encourage a suspect to consider making a plea, rather than going to court.

Political grandstanding in particular can be quite dangerous, especially when a talented orator uses exaggerated techniques to get a point across. It is often easy to sway the will and ideas of the public with a few well-chosen words, so a politician could have undue influence over a situation simply by speaking well, and grandstanding tactics could be used to push citizens into a particular opinion, rather than allowing them to draw their own conclusions.

It can be easy to slip into grandstanding, especially when you are talking about something that you feel passionately about. Especially when you're given a chance to prepare remarks for an event, read the remarks over first, and ask yourself how you would feel if you heard those words coming from someone else. If they seem appropriate to the setting and cause, the remarks will probably be received well, but if they seem a bit ostentatious and elaborate, you might want to tone them down so that you are not accused of grandstanding.