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.
-
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
-
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:
He featured in 37 league matches as Girona secured Champions League qualification for the first time, registering nine goals and eight assists.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
The DfE said "future years won't face this demoralising cycle" because of a new "stepping stone" qualification it plans to introduce for those who don't pass GCSEs from 2028.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
She intends to be back in South America next summer, provided England navigate two rounds of qualification play-offs in the autumn to book their place at the Women's World Cup, which Brazil will host.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
Sunrisers Leeds moved closer to securing qualification for The Hundred's knockout stages with a comprehensive 71-run win over Welsh Fire.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
And because he had found his way from one to the other and had even seen his dream come true, he felt a certain qualification on the subject.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Home builder lawyers say that plaintiff lawyers are relying on flawed testing methods and mold assessors with questionable qualifications, while taking advantage of a growing hysteria across the country about mold’s health effects.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
Most jurisdictions confirm only basic qualifications for holding office including age, residency and voter registration.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2026
In Kissinger’s accounting, Kushner’s only qualifications were that he went to college, was a businessman and knew the president.
From Salon ● Aug. 20, 2026
Thousands of pupils will receive their GCSEs results on Thursday amid major changes to qualifications in Wales.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
I dropped in to visit a college adviser I knew and told her about Jesse’s background and qualifications.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
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.
