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Synonyms

qualified

American  
[kwol-uh-fahyd] / ˈkwɒl əˌfaɪd /

adjective

  1. having the qualities, accomplishments, etc., that fit a person for some function, office, or the like.

    Synonyms:
    fitted, competent, capable, able

  2. having the qualities, accomplishments, etc., required by law or custom for getting, having, or exercising a right, holding an office, or the like.

  3. modified, limited, or restricted in some way.

    a qualified endorsement.
qualified British  
/ ˈkwɒlɪˌfaɪd /

adjective

  1. having the abilities, qualities, attributes, etc, necessary to perform a particular job or task

  2. limited, modified, or restricted; not absolute

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • qualifiedly adverb
  • qualifiedness noun
  • quasi-qualified adjective
  • underqualified adjective
  • well-qualified adjective

Etymology

Origin of qualified

First recorded in 1550–60; qualify + -ed 2

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 additional 1 million people who would previously have qualified for waivers from time limits are projected to be removed from the program.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

Judge Drew Tipton, whom President Donald Trump nominated in 2020, granted the prosecutor and police’s motion to kick out the case based largely on the idea of qualified immunity.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

She found it baffling how employers who reported qualified overtime in Box 14 of employees’ W-2s didn’t calculate it the same way.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

With a Roth IRA, you get significant tax advantages, including tax-free growth and qualified withdrawals, and no required minimum distributions if you are the original owner.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026

From now on it’s gonna be a haircut every week by a qualified Marine barber.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

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.