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

Freshman Gaskins starts, shines with Reneau out Forward Malik Reneau, who was recently granted a fifth year of eligibility, did not play in the exhibition due to a lower-body injury. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026

Enes Kanter Freedom has come forward with new allegations regarding the culture of the NBA during his playing career and sent a warning to the WNBA amid his ongoing feud regarding the league's gender eligibility policy. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026

So, Wayne made one of the hardest decisions of his young career, stepping away from the team to redshirt his sophomore season, preserve an extra year of eligibility and enter the transfer portal. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Banks, credit unions and online lenders offer small business financing, but loan types, rates, eligibility requirements, financing amounts and repayment terms can vary widely. — Dan Avery, CNBC, 23 Oct. 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