unsportsmanlike

U1N1S1P3O1R1T1S1M3A1N1L1I1K5E1

adjective

Violating the accepted standards of sportsmanship.

Similar
not cricketunsportingunsportsmanlycheatingdirtyfoulunfairunjust
OriginEnglish sportsmanlike ← Proto-Germanic *līką ← Proto-Indo-European *leyg- →
UncommonScrabble 23
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Meanings

adjectiveunsportsmanlike (comparative more unsportsmanlike, superlative most unsportsmanlike)

comparative more unsportsmanlike · superlative most unsportsmanlike

  1. Violating the accepted standards of sportsmanship.

    The ATP rulebook defines unsportsmanlike conduct as “any misconduct by a player that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the success of a tournament, ATP and/or the sport” and carries a fine of up to $20,000.

    2022 February 23, Matias Grez, “Alexander Zverev is withdrawn from Mexican Open after striking umpire’s chair multiple times”, in CNN

    Synonyms: not cricket, unsporting, unsportsmanly

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveViolating the accepted standards of sportsmanship.

Similar
not cricketunsportingunsportsmanly

More synonyms by meaning

adjectiveviolating accepted standards or rules

Similar
cheatingdirtyfoulunsportingunfairunjust
Also see
cheatingdirtyfoulunsportingunsportsmanlyunsportswomanlike

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
  3. Proto-Germanic*un-
  4. Proto-West Germanic*un-
  5. Old Englishun-
  6. Middle Englishun-
  7. Englishun-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  9. Proto-Indo-European*trísinflu.
  10. Proto-Indo-European*d(w)is-
  11. Proto-Italic*dis-
  12. Latindis-
  13. Old Frenchdes-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*per-
  15. Proto-Indo-European*pr̥téh₂
  16. Proto-Italic*portā
  17. Proto-Italic*portāō
  18. Latinportāre
  19. Old Frenchporter
  20. Anglo-Normandesporter
  21. Middle Englishdisporten
  22. Middle Englishsporten
  23. Englishsport
  24. Englishsports
  25. Proto-Indo-European*mon-
  26. Proto-Germanic*mann-
  27. Proto-West Germanic*mann
  28. Old Englishmann
  29. Middle Englishman
  30. Englishsportsman
  31. Proto-Indo-European*leyg-
  32. Proto-Germanic*līką
  33. Englishsportsmanlike
  34. Englishunsportsmanlike

From un- + sportsmanlike.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian неспортсменски
  • неспортсменски (nesportsmenski)violating the accepted standards of sportsmanship
Finnish epäurheilijamainen
  • epäurheilijamainenviolating the accepted standards of sportsmanship
German unsportlich
  • unsportlichviolating the accepted standards of sportsmanship
Hungarian sportszerűtlen
  • sportszerűtlenviolating the accepted standards of sportsmanship
Polish niesportowy
  • niesportowyviolating the accepted standards of sportsmanship
Portuguese antiesportivo, antidesportivo
  • antiesportivoviolating the accepted standards of sportsmanship
  • antidesportivoviolating the accepted standards of sportsmanship
Russian неспорти́вный
  • неспорти́вный (nesportívnyj)violating the accepted standards of sportsmanship
Spanish antideportivo
  • antideportivoviolating the accepted standards of sportsmanship
Swedish osportslig
  • osportsligviolating the accepted standards of sportsmanship
Cite this entry
APA

unsportsmanlike. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unsportsmanlike

MLA

“unsportsmanlike.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unsportsmanlike. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unsportsmanlike,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unsportsmanlike.

Source: unsportsmanlike on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.