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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.

The Azzurri, who lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a do-or-die playoff on Tuesday, last qualified in 2014.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

If you haven’t signed a specific engagement letter and given that person a look at all your financial records, you can’t really count on them for qualified advice.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

This might be a dawning moment, when the golfing world realises that someone capable of winning a record-equalling 82 PGA Tour titles might not be the best qualified to shape its future.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

And if so, should it at least be qualified as a “functional cure” or “operational cure?”

From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026

An employee had said in a magazine interview that you were qualified to work at Henka Games only if you could withstand the scrutiny of his piercing stare while giving him a presentation.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

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.