eligibility

noun

el·​i·​gi·​bil·​i·​ty ˌe-lə-jə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

: the quality or state of being eligible : fitness or suitability to be chosen, selected, or allowed to do something

The applicants must meet all requirements for eligibility.

… should "Shoeless Joe" Jackson, of "Black Sox" infamy, also be granted eligibility for the Hall of Fame?

—David A. Kaplan

Mass mailings go out to low-income areas, and if a letter is returned as undeliverable, the party uses it to challenge that voter's eligibility.

—Sasha Abramsky

Examples of eligibility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

While their eligibility thresholds differ, most of the recent plans have taken the form of institutions extending the income criteria of their existing financial aid programs. — Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Last week, a judge in Colorado granted an injunction that will allow the high school Class of 2022 to play a fifth year, throwing a further wrinkle into the eligibility question. — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026

When the time comes to search, Bergstein reaches out to performers’ teams to determine eligibility. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2026

In 2027, lawmakers are set to expand MAID eligibility criteria to include severe mental illness. — Sai Rajagopal, STAT, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing eligibility

• re-eligibility

Rhymes for eligibility

• acceptability
• accessibility
• adaptability
• admissibility
• advisability
• affordability
• allowability
• amenability
• amiability
• appealability
• applicability
• availability