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:
Bobi is waiting for results for A-level business and sport, as well as the Welsh Baccalaureate qualification.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
These issues need to be ironed out quickly by the coaching staff as their Europa League qualification hangs in the balance prior to Thursday's second leg against Jagiellonia Bialystok.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
Yet with every advantage afforded to them—automatic qualification, boisterous home crowds and even an assist from the Oval Office—they also demonstrated how far they were from legitimately contending.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Let's be clear from the start: it's not another type of qualification, like the T-levels and V-levels announced in England in recent years.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Hugh has been advised to try again: scores can fluctuate according to stress and circumstance, and he's right on the cusp of Mensa qualification.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
T-levels are also continuing to expand as part of reforms to technical education, although the new qualifications have faced challenges including delays, concerns over student retention and issues with some assessments.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
As well as A-levels, results for AS, BTec and other vocational qualifications will also be published, with many students hoping to progress to university.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Some vocational qualifications that overlapped with T-levels have had funding withdrawn, while others continue to be funded following a government review.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Apprenticeships offer an alternative route into work and further qualifications for people who want to learn while earning.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
The price of the meal was set at a deliberately hefty fifteen shillings to discourage those whose qualifications were merely cerebral.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
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.
