eligibility

noun

el·​i·​gi·​bil·​i·​ty ˌe-lə-jə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce eligibility (audio)
: 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Selling your tickets or receiving an extra benefit still impacts your eligibility to compete in intercollegiate athletics. Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Oct. 2025 Jeffries, however, seemed to shoot down the idea of putting new limits on the ACA subsidies, to include caps on payments and restrictions on eligibility. Mike Lillis, The Hill, 7 Oct. 2025 But the way the laws are written, with narrow windows of eligibility and no protection for sound recordings before February 15th, 1972, many artists or their heirs never get the opportunity. Matt Emma, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025 The boundaries change bus eligibility within the district’s neighborhoods, meaning some students that didn’t qualify for district public transportation may now, according to the district. Sofi Zeman october 2, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for eligibility

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of eligibility was in 1651

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Cite this Entry

“Eligibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eligibility. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

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