sportsmanship
Americannoun
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the character, practice, or skill of a sportsman.
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sportsmanlike conduct, as fairness, courtesy, being a cheerful loser, etc.
Etymology
Origin of sportsmanship
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It may be a hokey child’s trophy from a bygone era, like a scout’s badge or sportsmanship ribbon.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026
Asked where he learned about sportsmanship, Gonzalez said, “It’s what I was taught by my mom and coaches. Be a good person no matter what.”
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 23, 2025
The music swells further as he reflects on how crushed he was to lose his job over what his lawyers called a “silent or quiet prayer of thanksgiving for player safety, sportsmanship, and spirited competition.”
From Slate • Oct. 1, 2025
That was the sportsmanship, celebrating the game together.
From BBC • Sep. 11, 2025
So when I took time out of my busy schedule and burdensome duties to attend a middle school basketball game, I expected to see orderly students, good sportsmanship, and happy alumni.
From "Ungifted" by Gordon Korman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
