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

Its draft budget calls for hiring 122 new staffers to assist with new biannual eligibility checks for CalFresh. —Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2026

The Justice Department has not yet released detailed eligibility rules for the fund, which will be overseen by a five-member commission appointed by the attorney general. —Luke Fountain, CNBC, 19 May 2026

That milestone is tied to Medicare eligibility, Social Security decisions and major financial choices. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026

Johnson seeks an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA. —Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 19 May 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