qualified
Americanadjective
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having the qualities, accomplishments, etc., that fit a person for some function, office, or the like.
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having the qualities, accomplishments, etc., required by law or custom for getting, having, or exercising a right, holding an office, or the like.
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modified, limited, or restricted in some way.
a qualified endorsement.
adjective
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having the abilities, qualities, attributes, etc, necessary to perform a particular job or task
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limited, modified, or restricted; not absolute
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of qualified
Explanation
Qualified means something depends on another action occurring. If your friend receives a qualified offer on her house, that means something else has to happen — like a bank approving the loan — before it's sold. Qualified is an adjective with multiple meanings. Employers seek the most qualified applicants, meaning those who have the most experience and relevant training. Being qualified might also mean you have paperwork that shows you had certain training or meet certain standards. Or qualified can mean "partial" or "incomplete." If you approve of something but others need to agree before it's final, you would give your qualified approval.
Vocabulary lists containing qualified
Excerpt from "The Philosophy of Literary Form" by Kenneth Burke
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Michelle Obama's Speech at the 2016 DNC
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40 SAT words Beginning with "Q"
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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.
Mottet, a 31-year-old stay-at-home mother from Louisiana, recently qualified for Club Target, one of the largest initiatives for emerging creators with 15,000 members.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The 19-year-old, who has not qualified for any remaining events at the Games, will be discharged from hospital on Saturday evening.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
But being a member of Congress is a job, and in few other fields do we judge someone qualified just because they’re related to someone who was.
From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026
One of the few fixtures was center Bradley Bozeman, who Pro Football Focus rated 40th out of 40 players who qualified at that position.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Coach Mustilli was going to meet us at the competition because there were at least ten other fencers from my school team who had also qualified.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
