eligible
Americanadjective
-
fit or proper to be chosen; worthy of choice; desirable.
to marry an eligible bachelor.
- Antonyms:
- unacceptable, unsuitable, ineligible
-
meeting the stipulated requirements, as to participate, compete, or work; qualified.
-
legally qualified to be elected or appointed to office.
eligible for the presidency.
noun
adjective
-
fit, worthy, or qualified, as for an office or function
-
desirable and worthy of being chosen, esp as a spouse
an eligible young man
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of eligible
First recorded in 1555–65; from Middle French or directly from Late Latin ēligibilis, equivalent to Latin ē- “out of, from” + lig- (combining form of leg-, stem of legere “to choose, select”) + -bilis “capable of, susceptible of, tending to”; see e- 1, -ible
Explanation
If you get good grades, volunteer at the hospital, play varsity sports, and write for your school paper, you might be eligible for a college scholarship. If you’re eligible for something, you’re either qualified for it or allowed to do it. You’re eligible for unemployment benefits if you’ve recently been laid off, but not if you've never had a job in the first place. You may not be eligible to enter a sweepstakes if you work for the company giving away the money. Neither your dog nor your friend from Australia is eligible to run for president of the United States, but you might be!
Vocabulary lists containing eligible
"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 1–7
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Tangerine
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Vocabulary from the Constitution of the United States
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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.
In the past few months, it has given the green light to commutations of sentences of life without parole so that they “can be eligible for a parole suitability hearing.”
From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2026
Those who are granted a commutation won’t be eligible for release, the governor said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
And now it sits under a recognised international federation, it could be eligible for inclusion at the Olympics and Paralympics.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
Lawmakers said eligible schools must provide children “an equal opportunity to enroll regardless of race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, lack of housing, income level or disability.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
“So we need to get her in that program to start. While she’s there, they’ll evaluate her to see if she’s eligible for special education services.”
From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
