unqualified
Americanadjective
-
not qualified; not fit; lacking requisite qualifications.
unqualified for the job.
- Synonyms:
- incompetent, unfit
-
not modified, limited, or restricted in any way; without reservations.
unqualified praise.
- Synonyms:
- unmitigated
-
absolute; complete; out-and-out.
an unqualified liar.
adjective
-
lacking the necessary qualifications
-
not restricted or modified
an unqualified criticism
-
(usually prenominal) (intensifier)
an unqualified success
Related Words
See absolute.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unqualified
Explanation
If you're unqualified for something, you're not cut out to do it, often because you don't have the skills or knowledge you need. A dog trainer is most likely unqualified to perform brain surgery. The adjective unqualified is good for describing someone who isn't fit for a task or job. You wouldn't want an unqualified dentist to fill your cavity, and an unqualified babysitter might not even know how to change a diaper or put a bandage on a scraped elbow. Another way people can be unqualified is when they lack some necessary document — you're unqualified to teach in a public school, for example, without a state teaching certificate.
Vocabulary lists containing unqualified
United States v. Nixon (1974)
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Roe v. Wade (1973)
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On Liberty
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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.
Unqualified people never seem to suffer from impostor syndrome.
From Washington Post • Aug. 22, 2022
Unqualified influencers posting misinformation far outnumber the experts debunking it, who are often harassed by other users for their efforts.
From New York Times • Jun. 29, 2022
The actress revealed on Wednesday's episode of her podcast "Anna Faris is Unqualified" that she and cinematographer Michael Barrett recently eloped.
From Fox News • Jul. 22, 2021
Unqualified people shouldn’t congest the roads and runways needed to carry personnel to disaster sites.
From Slate • Apr. 27, 2015
The Unqualified Member from Cherokee Strip was in a state of deep dejection.
From The American Claimant by Twain, Mark
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.
