Meaning & use
workmanship
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Meanings
noununcountable
The skill and care with which something is made or repaired.
Grammar: Uncountable noun; used without 'a' or 'an' and with singular verbs.
Patterns
- good/poor workmanship
- workmanship on something
- the workmanship of something
The table is solid and shows excellent workmanship.
Visitors admired the workmanship of the old temple.
Poor workmanship caused the roof to leak after a year.
noununcountable
The quality of something produced, especially as a result of the maker's skill.
Grammar: Also uncountable; often used with adjectives like 'fine' or 'superb'.
Patterns
- fine/superb workmanship
- a piece of workmanship
The museum displays furniture of fine workmanship.
Her jewelry is known for its delicate workmanship.
Common combinations
- good workmanship
- The carpenter is praised for his good workmanship.
- poor workmanship
- The building collapsed due to poor workmanship.
- fine workmanship
- The antique vase shows fine workmanship.
- quality of workmanship
- Customers judge the quality of workmanship before buying.
- workmanship on
- The workmanship on the new bridge is impressive.
Synonyms and how they differ
- craftsmanship
- Very similar, but often suggests traditional hand skills and artistic quality; workmanship is broader and can refer to any made thing.
- skill
- Focuses on the ability to do something well, not on the quality of the finished product; workmanship emphasizes the result.
- expertise
- Refers to deep knowledge or skill in a field, not necessarily the physical making of things.
Word family
- workman noun
- A man who works with his hands, especially in a skilled trade.
- workmanlike adjective
- Showing the skill of a good worker; practical and effective but not outstanding.
Commonly confused: workmanship or workplace?
workmanship vs workplace
Workplace means the place where people work, while workmanship is about the skill in making things.
Practice
The furniture was praised for its excellent ______.
Choose one answer.
Workmanship is uncountable and fits the context of quality of making. 'Workmanships' is incorrect because it is not pluralized. 'Workman' is a person, and 'workmanlike' is an adjective, so neither fits after 'excellent'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “workmanship”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.