Synonyms

qualify

American

[kwol-uh-fahy] / ˈkwɒl əˌfaɪ /

verb (used with object)

to provide with proper or necessary skills, knowledge, credentials, etc.; make competent.

to qualify oneself for a job.

Synonyms:

equip, prepare, adapt, suit, fit
to modify or limit in some way; make less strong or positive.

to qualify an endorsement.

Synonyms:

restrict, narrow
Grammar. to modify.
to make less violent, severe, or unpleasant; moderate; mitigate.

Synonyms:

diminish, reduce, temper, soften, ameliorate
to attribute some quality or qualities to; characterize, call, or name.

She cannot qualify his attitude as either rational or irrational.

Synonyms:

designate, label
to modify or alter the flavor or strength of.

He qualified his coffee with a few drops of brandy.
Law. to certify as legally competent.

verb (used without object)

to be fitted or competent for something.
to get authority, license, power, etc., as by fulfilling required conditions, taking an oath, etc.
Sports. to demonstrate the required ability in an initial or preliminary contest.

He qualified in the trials.
to fire a rifle or pistol on a target range for a score high enough to achieve a rating of marksman, sharpshooter, or expert.
Military. to pass a practical test in gunnery.
Law. to perform the actions necessary to acquire legal power or capacity.

By filing a bond and taking an oath he qualified as executor.

qualify British

/ ˈkwɒlɪˌfaɪ, -ˌkeɪ- /

verb

to provide or be provided with the abilities or attributes necessary for a task, office, duty, etc

his degree qualifies him for the job
he qualifies for the job, but would he do it well?
(tr) to make less strong, harsh, or violent; moderate or restrict
(tr) to modify or change the strength or flavour of
(tr) grammar another word for modify
(tr) to attribute a quality to; characterize
(intr) to progress to the final stages of a competition, as by winning preliminary contests

"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

Synonym Usage

See modify.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of qualify

First recorded in 1525–35; from Medieval Latin quālificāre, from Latin quāl(is) “of what sort” + -ificāre -ify

Explanation

Make sure you know the context when using the word qualify. In one sense, it means to be right for, to measure up. In another sense, though, qualify means to change something slightly, to limit it or add a condition to it. If you want to qualify for your driver's license, remember not to drive through that final stop sign without stopping. I guarantee you that if you don't stop you will not qualify. You don't just get your Eagle Badge. You have to qualify for it—there's a lot to do before you get it. The word might be used in its other sense like this: If you plan to get married, keep your vows simple: say "I do." Don't qualify them by saying something like "I do...except sometimes, when I don't." If you have to qualify your wedding vows, don't get married.

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Vocabulary lists containing qualify

40 SAT words Beginning with "Q"

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Scrabble: Words that Begin with Q

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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:

qualify qualifies qualified qualifying

The ruling led hundreds of people to flock to government refugee centres in recent days, reportedly including people who do not qualify for asylum.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

When he replaced Shaun Wane as head coach, McDermott indicated that he was keen to use heritage players - those who qualify for England through family background - to ensure the strongest possible squad.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

“There is no ‘magic score’ to qualify for a home mortgage, but a high score may qualify you for a higher loan or better interest rate,” Wells Fargo says.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

Most Medicare Part B recipients will qualify, although people whose premiums are paid by Medicaid and higher-income recipients who pay an income-related adjustment will not, according to the White House.

From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026

“Plus we probably make too much money to qualify for help.”

From "Crenshaw" by Katherine Applegate

That interest, the court wrote, “undoubtedly qualifies as liberty which may not be denied without due process of law under the fifth amendment.”

From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026

But even that isn’t guaranteed, since determining what qualifies for the exemption is left to the commission.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

The treaty does not specify the geographical criteria of a European state, but it's hard to imagine Canada qualifies.

From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026

If a utility sells 100 MWh of electricity, but only 50 MWh qualifies as renewable while the state requires 60 MWh, it can buy 10 RECs from another renewable generator to close the gap.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026

“I don’t think that qualifies you as a saint.”

From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss

With a Roth, you pay the tax now, at whatever rate you’re in today, and you never pay tax on qualified withdrawals.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026

The 28-year-old qualified in eighth but was heading for a podium finish before an engine failure forced him to retire from third place with five laps remaining.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

The office also received $7,500 for each qualified officer during the first three months of participation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

Exercises can also be adapted for people with joint pain or long-term conditions, and support from qualified professionals can help ensure training is safe and appropriate.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026

Even though most experts agree that forensic pathologists—who primarily deal with dead people—are not qualified to estimate survival chances, the State allowed prosecutors to pursue criminal charges.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

The order gives the Treasury five days to decide whether a qualifying event has occurred.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 7, 2026

I used to be a mortgage-loan officer; I would get a couple that each made six figures, but would have difficulty qualifying them for a loan amount they wanted because of their consumer-debt load.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

With the top two qualifying for the latter stages, Croatia had the chance to put themselves in pole position to beat England to a place in the quarter-finals.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

Dominant through every part of qualifying for his first pole of the season.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

With motivation like that, you can bet I hit all my routines at the Region 3 Championships that spring, placing first on floor and second all-around, and qualifying for Westerns.

From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023