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

Funding fights, shifting eligibility rules and abrupt program cuts have played out simultaneously at the federal level, leaving many organizations unsure what the ground will look like from one quarter to the next. — Keely Cat-Wells, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Rutschman’s eligibility for free agency after next season further complicates the matter. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 21 July 2026

As a result, the allegation in Urdaneta’s statement has hung over Binaggia since 2021, possibly affecting his eligibility for financial compensation as HSI’s confidential informant. — Jay Weaver july 21, Miami Herald, 21 July 2026

Former Rome all-state quarterback Aidan McPherson won his appeal Tuesday for eligibility at Thomas County Central, giving the 2025 Class 5A champions an all-state weapon to build on its 15-0 finish from last season. — Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 21 July 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