sportsmanship
noun
sports·man·ship
ˈspȯrts-mən-ˌship 
: conduct (such as fairness, respect for one's opponent, and graciousness in winning or losing) becoming to one participating in a sport
Examples of sportsmanship in a Sentence
He's a great player who's also admired for his sportsmanship.
Recent Examples on the Web
She’s faced the highest of highs and experienced the downsides of that attention, including commentary about everything from her performances to her sportsmanship and hair.
—
Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 18 Apr. 2024
Clearly, Guadagnino’s interest lies more in relationships, in the gamesmanship of desire than the sportsmanship of tennis.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
The annual honor recognizes the player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2024
Corey embodies the essence of excellence not only in academics, but also in leadership, sportsmanship and attitude.
—The Courier-Journal, 22 Mar. 2024
The team gets a stroke of luck in the early rounds, earning a bye when tournament favorites South Africa see their arrival delayed by passport issues, though there’s no prize for guessing that sportsmanship will trump gamesmanship in the long run.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Mar. 2024
Jason Kelce Greeted at Chicago Hot Dog Spot with ‘Welcome Taylor's Boyfriend's Brother’ Sign
Later, Kelce told the media his job as a veteran player for the team heavily relies on his sportsmanship and leadership.
—Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 19 Dec. 2023
Elections are about winning, within legal and certain moral bounds, not playing by an imaginary set of rules dictating kindness or sportsmanship.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024
The Super Bowl is a moment in America where our nation should come together over its love for competition and sportsmanship, where the competitive spirit and the determination of the two best teams in football should unify us all.
—Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 12 Feb. 2024
Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 18 Apr. 2024
Clearly, Guadagnino’s interest lies more in relationships, in the gamesmanship of desire than the sportsmanship of tennis.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024
The annual honor recognizes the player who best represents the ideals of sportsmanship on the court.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2024
Corey embodies the essence of excellence not only in academics, but also in leadership, sportsmanship and attitude.
—The Courier-Journal, 22 Mar. 2024
The team gets a stroke of luck in the early rounds, earning a bye when tournament favorites South Africa see their arrival delayed by passport issues, though there’s no prize for guessing that sportsmanship will trump gamesmanship in the long run.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Mar. 2024
Jason Kelce Greeted at Chicago Hot Dog Spot with ‘Welcome Taylor's Boyfriend's Brother’ Sign
Later, Kelce told the media his job as a veteran player for the team heavily relies on his sportsmanship and leadership.
—Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 19 Dec. 2023
Elections are about winning, within legal and certain moral bounds, not playing by an imaginary set of rules dictating kindness or sportsmanship.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024
The Super Bowl is a moment in America where our nation should come together over its love for competition and sportsmanship, where the competitive spirit and the determination of the two best teams in football should unify us all.
—Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 12 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sportsmanship.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near sportsmanship
Cite this Entry
“Sportsmanship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sportsmanship. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sportsmanship
noun
sports·man·ship
ˈspō(ə)rt-smən-ˌship
ˈspȯ(ə)rt-
: fair play, respect for opponents, and gracious behavior in winning or losing
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