sportsmanship: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, semi-formal, journalism, commentary, educational
Quick answer
What does “sportsmanship” mean?
Fair, respectful, and generous behaviour and attitude shown by someone in a competition, especially in sport.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Fair, respectful, and generous behaviour and attitude shown by someone in a competition, especially in sport.
Ethical, fair, and courteous conduct in any competitive situation, including business, politics, or academics. The quality of being a gracious winner and a good loser.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both varieties use the term extensively in sports and metaphorical contexts.
Connotations
Positively loaded in both cultures, often associated with traditional values of honour and integrity.
Frequency
Comparably common, though possibly slightly more frequent in American sports commentary due to cultural emphasis on 'character' in athletics.
Grammar
How to Use “sportsmanship” in a Sentence
[verb] + sportsmanship: show/demonstrate/teach/respect sportsmanship[adjective] + sportsmanship: good/true/great/poor/bad/exemplary sportsmanshipsportsmanship + [noun]: sportsmanship award/trophy/prize/spiritVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sportsmanship” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- No direct verb form. Use 'behave sportsmanlike' or 'show sportsmanship'. (e.g., 'He was asked to sportsmanlike conduct himself.')
American English
- No direct verb form. Use 'sportsman' as a verb is non-standard. (e.g., 'He knows how to sportsman up and accept defeat.')
adverb
British English
- sportsmanlikely (rare/archaic)
- in a sportsmanlike manner (preferred)
American English
- sportsmanlikely (rare/obsolete)
- sportsmanlike (used informally as an adverb, e.g., 'He shook hands sportsmanlike.')
adjective
British English
- sportsmanlike (e.g., 'That was a very sportsmanlike gesture.')
- unsportsmanlike
American English
- sportsmanlike (e.g., 'He was praised for his sportsmanlike conduct.')
- unsportsmanlike
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used metaphorically to describe ethical competition and respectful conduct between rivals (e.g., 'The merger negotiations were tough but conducted with professional sportsmanship.').
Academic
Used in ethics or sociology papers discussing the role of fair play in competitive systems.
Everyday
Commonly used when discussing children's games, school sports days, or amateur competitions to praise or criticise behaviour.
Technical
A defined term in the charters of many sports governing bodies and educational programmes.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sportsmanship”
- Using as a countable noun (*'He showed a sportsmanship'). Should be uncountable: 'He showed sportsmanship.' or 'He showed great sportsmanship.'
- Confusing spelling: 'sportmanship' (missing the 's' after 'sport').
- Using 'sportsman' when referring to the quality.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the term applies to all genders. Historically derived from 'sportsman', but modern usage is fully inclusive. Equivalent terms like 'sportswomanship' are extremely rare and non-standard.
'Sportsmanship' is positive, involving fair play and respect. 'Gamesmanship' is negative, referring to the use of dubious but not illegal tactics to gain a psychological advantage, often bending the spirit of the rules.
Yes, it's commonly used metaphorically in any competitive arena (e.g., business, politics, academia) to describe honourable and respectful conduct between rivals.
No, it is almost always an uncountable noun. You should say 'an act of sportsmanship' or 'great sportsmanship', not 'a sportsmanship'.
Fair, respectful, and generous behaviour and attitude shown by someone in a competition, especially in sport.
Sportsmanship is usually formal, semi-formal, journalism, commentary, educational in register.
Sportsmanship: in British English it is pronounced /ˈspɔːtsmənʃɪp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈspɔːrtsmənʃɪp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Win or lose with good grace.”
- “It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.”
- “A good sport.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SPORTsman giving a helping hand (SHIP) to a fallen opponent. The ship carries the values of fair play.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPETITION IS WAR (with civility rules). ETHICAL CONDUCT IS A VALUABLE COMMODITY/PRIZE.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'sportsmanship' LEAST likely to be used literally?