noun · formal
sportsmanship
UK/ˈspɔː(r)tsˌmænʃɪp/US/ˈspɔːrtsˌmænʃɪp/SPORTS·man·ship
Fair and respectful behaviour towards opponents, officials, and the spirit of the game.
Examples
“He showed great sportsmanship when he admitted the mistake rather than blaming the referee.”
“Good sportsmanship includes congratulating opponents and accepting defeat gracefully.”
“Organisers praised the team's sportsmanship despite the high tensions.”
Band 8 sentence
“Even in fierce contests, maintaining sportsmanship reflects maturity and respect for the wider values of competition.”
Collocations
- show sportsmanship
- display sportsmanship
- lack of sportsmanship
Word family
Common mistakes
He is a good sportsmanship.→He shows good sportsmanship.
There was a lack of sportmanship.→There was a lack of sportsmanship.
Say it for a higher band
5fair play→6good manners in sport→7+sportsmanship
Synonyms
fair play
Easily confused
sportsman
“He is a respectable sportsman who always shows respect to rivals.”
Related words
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In Sport & Exercise
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