as in foul
not being in accordance with the rules or standards of what is fair in sport
was suspended for unsportsmanlike conduct
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unsportsmanlike
LaFleur got into a verbal altercation with a Detroit Lions fan before a game and received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty for berating an official in a loss to Minnesota.
—
Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
The teams combined for more than 200 yards in penalties, some of them personal fouls and unsportsmanlike penalty infractions.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2025
Finally, there were several unsportsmanlike penalties last year against players who celebrated a play by pretending to fire a gun.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Any celebratory simulation of a weapon being brandished will draw an automatic unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
—Chase Goodbread, The Tuscaloosa News, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsportsmanlike
Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
The teams combined for more than 200 yards in penalties, some of them personal fouls and unsportsmanlike penalty infractions.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 22 Aug. 2025
Finally, there were several unsportsmanlike penalties last year against players who celebrated a play by pretending to fire a gun.
—Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Any celebratory simulation of a weapon being brandished will draw an automatic unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
—Chase Goodbread, The Tuscaloosa News, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsportsmanlike
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsportsmanlike
Adjective
-
Jessica Post, who lives near Auburn and was sitting near the right field foul pole with her sister, Deanna Ritter of Roseville, was happy the A’s had put the flags to half-staff.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Then second baseman Máximo Acosta chased down the ball in foul territory and threw wildly past third.—
Steve Gorten,
Miami Herald,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Sadly, because of these two, all the sisters were tarred with the same brush, which is most unfair.—
Mimi Pond,
People.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
The union argued that Levine Cava’s plan to shift the $28 million expense to the Fire Rescue Department was unfair because that agency is funded solely with a special tax only paid by owners of property located outside of Miami and the other cities that have their own fire departments.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
-
Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.—
Lisa Beebe,
Los Angeles Magazine,
5 July 2017
Adjective
-
One said bump is a particularly nasty, literal wig-snatching fight between Vida and Chi-Chi.—
Jen Juneau,
PEOPLE,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In a nutshell, people are easily irritated and inclined to get caught up in nasty power struggles because they’re entrenched in their own views.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unsportsmanlike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsportsmanlike. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share