qualification
Americannoun
-
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
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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:
Scotland missing out on third-placed qualification was a disappointment and having to wait a couple of days before it was confirmed must have been painful.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
With the abolition of residential qualification for overseas players, the counties scrambled to sign world superstars like Barry Richards and Greg Chappell for the 1968 season, and Notts won the fierce race for Sobers' signature.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
But these strategies’ long-term success comes with a significant qualification: their occasional huge losses — known as momentum crashes.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
According to this school of thought, his main qualification was a lack thereof.
From Slate ● Jul. 8, 2026
I remember when I walked out with the team for the qualification round, I heard my mom’s voice yelling, “Go, Simone!”
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
“When I look at a justice, I look at their qualifications, their integrity, their background, their experience in reaching a decision,” she said.
From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026
The Founders set three qualifications for Senators: They must be at least 30 years old, U.S. citizens for nine years, and residents of their states.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Job descriptions often make qualifications or requirements seem more rigid than they actually are, says Henna Pryor, a workplace-performance expert who worked as a recruiter for almost a decade.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
Officials from New York state’s Division of Licensing Services reopened questions about her qualifications and summoned her to Albany for a formal interview on Nov. 4, just weeks before her license was to expire.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
My dad had a degree in mechanical engineering from Louisiana State University, but since he was undocumented, it was impossible for him to get hired for jobs that fit his qualifications.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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.
