qualification
Americannoun
-
qualifications
plural
-
a quality, accomplishment, etc., that fits a person for some function, office, or the like.
-
a circumstance or condition required by law or custom for getting, having, or exercising a right, holding an office, or the like.
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the act of qualifying; state of being qualified.
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modification, limitation, or restriction.
to endorse a plan without qualification.
- Synonyms:
- condition, stipulation, reservation
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an instance of this.
He protected his argument with several qualifications.
noun
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an official record of achievement awarded on the successful completion of a course of training or passing of an exam
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an ability, quality, or attribute, esp one that fits a person to perform a particular job or task
he has no qualifications to be a teacher
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a condition that modifies or limits; restriction
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the act of qualifying or state of being qualified
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of qualification
1535–45; < Medieval Latin quālificātiōn- (stem of quālificātiō ), equivalent to quālificāt ( us ) (past participle of quālificāre to qualify ) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
A qualification is either a condition that must be met or a statement that puts a limit on a claim. Both kinds of qualification are restrictive. You know how there are requirements for jobs? You can call those requirements qualifications. For example, a college degree and certain experiences are qualifications for many jobs: without them, you won't even get a job interview. A qualification is also a type of statement that makes a previous statement more specific. If you said "I'm thirsty!" and then added "Not for root beer, though," your second statement is a qualification. Qualifications add a limit to what's been said.
Vocabulary lists containing qualification
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)
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"On Women's Right to Vote" by Susan B. Anthony
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"Marriage is a Private Affair" by Chinua Achebe
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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.
See Examples For:
It isn’t giving too much away to report that the story has what we may, with qualification, call a happy ending—not just for Kuzichkin, but for the West.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
The Uefa Pro Licence, external - the qualification needed to coach at the highest level of English football - costs £14,000, and there are only 24 places per intake.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
The qualification requirements also include having identified at least $250 million in philanthropic support and securing two $50-million commitments for designated research programs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
“All I can do is stand here without qualification and say I’m sorry.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 28, 2026
A yes, or a no, or a qualification, please.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
In an official statement, the department’s spokesperson said it “does not approve or deny the operation of microschools for any reason, including the qualifications of the owner/operator.”
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
No one from any of the states asked us about our backgrounds or qualifications, though West Virginia did ask for proof of a high school diploma.
From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026
But the report also uncovered something that had been overlooked: Many sailors spent their downtime on phones instead of studying for qualifications.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
Tracey Davies initially lived with her husband in Abu Dhabi, but her professional qualifications were not recognised in the country and she returned to Wales.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
The other, much longer application reviewed her qualifications in detail.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
