B2nounsportsociety
US/ˈspɔːrts.mən.ʃɪp/
UK/ˈspɔːts.mən.ʃɪp/
fair and polite behavior in sport, such as respecting the rules and accepting defeat gracefully
In context
The coach praised the team for its sportsmanship after the difficult loss.
Shaking hands with your opponent is a simple sign of good sportsmanship.
Schools should teach children sportsmanship as well as winning.
Words that go with sportsmanship
adjective + noun
- good sportsmanshipGood sportsmanship matters more than the final score.
- poor sportsmanshipThe referee warned him about poor sportsmanship.
verb + noun
- show sportsmanshipThe players showed great sportsmanship in the final.
- teach sportsmanshipYouth leagues try to teach sportsmanship.
noun + preposition
- sense of sportsmanshipTeam sports give children a sense of sportsmanship.
- lack of sportsmanshipThe crowd booed his lack of sportsmanship.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:
a sportsmanshipCorrect: sportsmanship