qualify

Word parts

quality + -ify

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA ^(key): /ˈkwɑ.lə.fɑɪ/, enPR: kwäʹlə-fī

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: qual‧ify

Verb

Plain form qualify

Third-person singular qualifies

Past tense qualified

Past participle qualified

Present participle qualifying

1. (intransitive) If you qualify for something, you have what is needed to be allowed to get or do it.

   Children must be under the age of six in order to qualify for a free meal.

   The government needs to help people who don't qualify for health insurance.

2. (transitive) If $x$ qualifies $y$ for $z$, $x$ is needed to be allowed to get or do $z$ and $y$ has $x$.

   Describe the education, training, and experience that qualify you for the job.

3. (intransitive) If $x$ qualifies as $y$, it has what is needed to be considered $y$.

   Today's game certainly qualifies as one of the best in history.

4. (transitive) If you qualify an idea, you add something to explain that the idea isn't always true.

   This is America and competition is our way of life. Having said this, I would like to qualify the statement and suggest that we need to work together too.

5. (transitive) (grammar) If a word or phrase qualifies another word or phrase, it limits or adds to the meaning of it.

Related words

• qualified
• qualification
• unqualified
• qualifier