gamesmanship
noun
games·man·ship
ˈgāmz-mən-ˌship 
1
: the art or practice of winning games by questionable expedients without actually violating the rules
2
: the use of ethically dubious methods to gain an objective
Examples of gamesmanship in a Sentence
They blur the line between gamesmanship and cheating.
that author doesn't go in for literary gamesmanship, so the reader is never led astray by the novel's narrator
Recent Examples on the Web
The louche festivities provoke dangerous gamesmanship, and scenes with a jazz band and a lively singer (Sophie Oliver) capture the evening’s reckless spirit, as Hedda coaxes couples onto the dance floor and then struts and sashays among and between them.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
What stood out the most to Edman was some subtle gamesmanship.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
She was cleared in each case and chalked up the allegations to political gamesmanship.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
Roberts continued to roll his eyes at Murphy’s gamesmanship.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gamesmanship
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Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
What stood out the most to Edman was some subtle gamesmanship.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
She was cleared in each case and chalked up the allegations to political gamesmanship.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025
Roberts continued to roll his eyes at Murphy’s gamesmanship.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gamesmanship
Cite this Entry
“Gamesmanship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamesmanship. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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