qualification
Americannoun
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a quality, accomplishment, etc., that fits a person for some function, office, or the like.
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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
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.
An earlier study found that nearly 1 in 4 high-school graduates couldn’t pass the Armed Forces Qualification Test, the military’s basic test of education fitness to serve.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025
Qualification was a huge relief for South Africa, who saw a five-point lead with four rounds remaining turn into a two-point deficit behind Benin entering the final round.
From Barron's • Oct. 14, 2025
One was the creation of an "Antisemitism Training Qualification" for those who carry out training on what it called "contemporary antisemitism".
From BBC • Jul. 14, 2025
It also states that "no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."
From Salon • Jan. 20, 2025
The most important Qualification in education is Love, and I will take that first.
From Education as Service by Krishnamurti, J. (Jiddu)
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.
