verb
qualify
KWOL-ih-feye
verb
1
To meet the requirements needed for something, such as a job, benefit, or competition stage.
"She qualified for the Olympic finals with a personal best time."
"Do I qualify for a student discount?"
2
To give someone the necessary training or credentials for a role.
"The course qualifies graduates to work as licensed plumbers."
3
To limit or add conditions to a statement so it is more precise.
"He qualified his praise by adding that the report still needed more evidence."
How to Use Qualify
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo meet requirements for something, to certify someone for a role, or to add limiting conditions to a claim.
Common pairings
qualify for
qualify as a
qualify a statement
Word Forms
qualified past tense, qualifies singular
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Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French qualifier, built from "quality" plus the verb-forming suffix "-fy."