How to Use sportsmanship in a Sentence

sportsmanship

noun
  • He's a great player who's also admired for his sportsmanship.
  • Yet sportsmanship has always been a part of the game, any game.
    — Chuck Yarborough, cleveland, 17 Dec. 2019
  • But in terms of pure sportsmanship, both the fans were winners.
    — Terry Baddoo, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2022
  • There were no hard fouls and plenty of sportsmanship.
    — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 19 May 2026
  • She's not known to have sportsmanship, doesn't have the best code of conduct.
    — Robert Birsel shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Namely, that sports at their best teach poise and grace and, uh, sportsmanship.
    — Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 23 Jan. 2020
  • How about the standard of sportsmanship shown by the two high jumpers who shared the gold medal?
    — BostonGlobe.com, 2 Aug. 2021
  • That does not give kids like me a good example of sportsmanship.
    — Letter Writers, Twin Cities, 10 Oct. 2019
  • The sportsmanship didn’t stop after the pregame joining of the hands.
    — Matt Massey, The Seattle Times, 31 Aug. 2017
  • There are rules, not just etiquette standards, for sportsmanship and fair play.
    — Lori Nickel, USA TODAY, 3 Feb. 2022
  • So sportsmanship could be a point of emphasis for some in the coming week.
    — San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Mar. 2021
  • Rios advised people to have fun and be in the spirit of good sportsmanship.
    — Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 23 July 2022
  • The two women embraced at the net at the end, a classy display of sportsmanship.
    — Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2021
  • Both teams took a knee, as has become customary as a show of good sportsmanship.
    — Andrew Turner, Daily Pilot, 10 Oct. 2019
  • And we got recognized for it last year by getting the sportsmanship award.
    — Andrew Higginbottom, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Mar. 2018
  • The point of musical chairs is to teach children fair play and sportsmanship.
    — Bernice L. McFadden, Longreads, 7 Aug. 2021
  • The midfielder scored the first goal of the game and displayed great sportsmanship on the field.
    — Melanie Laughman, The Enquirer, 17 Oct. 2020
  • There is no joy in crushing teams, so sportsmanship plays a role in a reduced schedule, too.
    — Joe Davidson, sacbee, 5 Feb. 2018
  • Cal can teach the world a lesson in honor, justice and sportsmanship.
    — Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle, 22 Nov. 2021
  • The essence of sports is good sportsmanship, which stems from good character and a respect for the game.
    — Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2026
  • The sportsmanship award is determined by a vote of the players.
    — Rick Bonnell, charlotteobserver, 25 June 2018
  • Photos of the fans have gone viral as an example of class and sportsmanship.
    — Bebe Hodges, The Enquirer, 4 Jan. 2023
  • There is a win at all costs attitude that goes against the principles of sportsmanship and fair play.
    — Sarah Hughes, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2022
  • That just shows his character and sportsmanship.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Dec. 2025
  • There are lessons, and not just in sportsmanship or teamwork or the value of both winning and losing.
    — Sam Mellinger, kansascity, 3 July 2018
  • After the final bell rang, the fighters hugged in a show of respect and sportsmanship.
    — Kevin Dotson, CNN, 9 Aug. 2024
  • There’s nothing like a show of good sportsmanship to really get the tear ducts flowing.
    — Megan McCluskey, Time, 3 Sep. 2019
  • When the game is over, players meet at the net, tapping their paddle handles in a show of sportsmanship.
    — al, 8 Jan. 2020
  • His rival Ronaldo supports him off the pitch in a nice show of sportsmanship that the crowd cheers.
    — Victor Mather, New York Times, 1 July 2018
  • So, yes, sportsmanship and ejections are a major concern.
    — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Oct. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sportsmanship.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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