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

In June, the NCAA ruled the class of 2022 had exhausted their eligibility. — Pj Green october 2, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026

Known as Special Intensive Revision, the revisions have drawn criticism over the documents required to establish voters’ eligibility. — ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026

The county estimates more than 7,500 residents could lose Medi-Cal coverage after new work requirements and more frequent eligibility renewals are fully implemented. — JosÉ Luis Villegas, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026

The opponents also contend — as do many independent election experts — that California already has robust measures for verifying the eligibility and identity of voters, and that voter fraud, including by noncitizens, is exceedingly rare. — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 1 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