workmanship
gb/wˈɚkmənʃˌɪp/ us/wˈɚkmənʃˌɪp/
B2
English
~ 9600
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
property
1
quality and skill of making
How good and careful the work is when something is made or built.
Usage pattern:
the workmanship on [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *workmanship* to talk about effort or the amount of work, saying things like "I admire your workmanship" when they mean "I admire how hard you worked." *Workmanship* is about the quality and skill of the finished product, not the effort or time. It is also an uncountable noun in this sense, so avoid forms like *workmanships*.
Synonyms
craftsmanship (Very close in meaning, but often suggests traditional or handmade skill a little more strongly than 'workmanship'.)
|
work quality (More general and less formal; focuses on how good the work is but lacks the idea of careful, skilled craft.)
Antonyms
shoddy work (Emphasizes work that is done badly or cheaply, with low quality and little care, which is the opposite of good workmanship.)
Collocations
excellent workmanship
|poor workmanship
|quality workmanship
|fine workmanship
|defects in workmanship
|craftsmanship and workmanship
Themes
work
|crafts
|business
|construction
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The table looks cheap, but the workmanship is surprisingly good.
- Poor workmanship on the roof caused it to leak after the first storm.
- Customers are willing to pay more for quality materials and solid workmanship.
- The company's reputation is built on fine workmanship and attention to detail.
- Inspect the stitching carefully; sloppy workmanship can make the shoes fall apart quickly.
Learner examples
- The car is old, but the workmanship is very good.
- Because of poor workmanship, the door does not close well.
- People trust this company because their workmanship is always high.
- We paid more for better materials and better workmanship.
- You can see the fine workmanship in every part of the house.
Noun
literary
C2
entity
2
thing made by a creator
Something that a person or God has made; their creation.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s workmanship
Common mistake:
This sense is rare and mainly appears in religious or poetic writing. Learners sometimes try to use *workmanship* this way in everyday speech, but in modern everyday English, people almost always use *workmanship* to talk about quality of work, not about people or the world as God's workmanship.
Synonyms
creation (Very close in meaning, especially in religious or literary style; more common and can be used more broadly outside religious contexts.)
Antonyms
creator (Refers to the one who makes something, not the thing that is made, so it is an opposite role in the same relationship.)
Collocations
God's workmanship
|His workmanship
|the Lord's workmanship
Themes
religion
|literature
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The poet describes humanity as God's finest workmanship.
- In that sermon, people are called the Lord's workmanship, shaped for a special purpose.
- She believed every child was a unique workmanship of the divine.
Learner examples
- Some writers say that the world is God's workmanship.
- The book calls humans the workmanship of their creator.
- In this story, the king sees the city as his own workmanship.
Grammar
Dictionary form
workmanship
IPA
GB/wˈɚkmənʃˌɪp/
US/wˈɚkmənʃˌɪp/
Syllables & stress
work - man - ship (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (work)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: workmanship
- Plural: workmanship
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.