eligible
Americanadjective
-
fit or proper to be chosen; worthy of choice; desirable.
to marry an eligible bachelor.
- Antonyms:
- unacceptable, unsuitable, ineligible
-
meeting the stipulated requirements, as to participate, compete, or work; qualified.
-
legally qualified to be elected or appointed to office.
eligible for the presidency.
noun
adjective
-
fit, worthy, or qualified, as for an office or function
-
desirable and worthy of being chosen, esp as a spouse
an eligible young man
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of eligible
First recorded in 1555–65; from Middle French or directly from Late Latin ēligibilis, equivalent to Latin ē- “out of, from” + lig- (combining form of leg-, stem of legere “to choose, select”) + -bilis “capable of, susceptible of, tending to”; see e- 1, -ible
Explanation
If you get good grades, volunteer at the hospital, play varsity sports, and write for your school paper, you might be eligible for a college scholarship. If you’re eligible for something, you’re either qualified for it or allowed to do it. You’re eligible for unemployment benefits if you’ve recently been laid off, but not if you've never had a job in the first place. You may not be eligible to enter a sweepstakes if you work for the company giving away the money. Neither your dog nor your friend from Australia is eligible to run for president of the United States, but you might be!
Vocabulary lists containing eligible
"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 1–7
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Tangerine
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Vocabulary from the Constitution of the United States
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If Donald returns, it would impact Rams roster decisions and also have possible implications for players that are in the final years of their rookie contracts and eligible for extensions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
At 68, they aren’t QCD eligible, so the first tool isn’t available.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026
To be eligible for assisted dying, a patient must be of legal age and a French national or a long-term resident.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
Foote will be eligible on 10 November of this year, while Hart and Dube will be eligible on 10 November 2027 and 10 November 2028 respectively.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
For more than a decade, Elisha Kent Kane had managed to remain one of Philadelphia’s most eligible bachelors.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
