disqualify

verb

dis·​qual·​i·​fy (ˌ)dis-ˈkwä-lə-ˌfī 

disqualified; disqualifying; disqualifies

transitive verb

1

: to deprive of the required qualities, properties, or conditions : make unfit

2

: to deprive of a power, right, or privilege

3

: to make ineligible for a prize or for further competition because of violations of the rules

Examples of disqualify in a Sentence

His poor eyesight disqualified him from becoming a pilot.

Recent Examples on the Web

Shortly before midnight Monday and about six hours after Butchko Sanchez issued her order disqualifying him, Desulme filed his counterclaim seeking to disqualify Morgan, reopen the qualifying period and have a special election in December. — Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026

Trump unsuccessfully tried to disqualify 220,000 absentee ballots from Milwaukee and Dane counties, a move Tiffany supported. — CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

In mid-October, the company announced that the winner had been disqualified after organizers concluded that his use of generative AI broke the rules. — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026

In September, Israel’s Central Elections Committee sought to disqualify both Arab electoral lists – the Joint List and the United Arab List – as well as individual candidates. — Tamir Sorek, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1701, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for disqualify

• acidify
• alveoli
• antinomy
• areolae
• demystify
• detoxify
• diversify
• electrify
• exemplify
• fasciculi
• identify
• indemnify

Kids Definition

disqualify

verb

dis·​qual·​i·​fy (ˈ)dis-ˈkwäl-ə-ˌfī 

disqualified; disqualifying

: to make or declare unfit or not qualified

Legal Definition

disqualify

transitive verb

dis·​qual·​i·​fy dis-ˈkwä-lə-ˌfī 

disqualified; disqualifying

1

: to deprive of the required qualities, properties, or conditions

a financial interest in the case that disqualified the judge

2

: to deprive of a right or privilege especially after a hearing

misconduct that disqualified the employee from receiving unemployment benefits