el·i·gi·ble
ˈe-lə-jə-bəl 
1
a
: qualified to participate or be chosen
eligible to retire
b
: permitted under football rules to catch a forward pass
2
: worthy of being chosen
an eligible young bachelor
plural eligibles
: a person or thing that is qualified or permitted to do or be something : one that is eligible for something
As with the College of Cardinals and the papacy, where every cardinal, in theory, is eligible to be Pope but the number of real eligibles is substantially smaller, so with the American Presidency.—
Stephen R. Graubard
Stephen R. Graubard… when she entered life, beautiful, accomplished, and an heiress, she had, of course, all the eligibles … of the other sex sighing at her feet …—Harriet Beecher Stowe
Harriet Beecher StoweExamples of eligible in a Sentence
Adjective
… more than six years since the fall of the Taliban, fewer than 30% of eligible girls are enrolled in schools, and the infrastructure is so poor that only a tiny fraction are likely to get the education they need to enjoy the fruits of emancipation.
—Aryn Baker, Time, 28 Jan. 2008
She wanted to start her own family. She was twenty-six and without prospects. At church her mother prayed, and at Crystal Nail, where she lacquered and lengthened, her mother asked customers about eligible young men. She kept Li En's graduation photo mounted in the right corner of her mirror, so that every customer would see her daughter, diploma in hand.
—Max Apple, Atlantic, November 2003
I'd like to join but I'm not eligible yet.
Aryn Baker, Time, 28 Jan. 2008
She wanted to start her own family. She was twenty-six and without prospects. At church her mother prayed, and at Crystal Nail, where she lacquered and lengthened, her mother asked customers about eligible young men. She kept Li En's graduation photo mounted in the right corner of her mirror, so that every customer would see her daughter, diploma in hand.
—Max Apple, Atlantic, November 2003
I'd like to join but I'm not eligible yet.
Recent Examples on the Web
Robert Farrington, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Cervical cancer deaths in women under age 25—the first generation eligible to receive the vaccine—fell by 65 percent from 2012 to 2019.
—Liz Szabo, Scientific American, 29 Apr. 2025
Scott Wheeler, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
Of the 28 Modern-Era semifinalists, five are first-year eligible which includes cornerback Darrelle Revis, tackle Joe Thomas and guard Jahri Evans.
—Dallas News, 3 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for eligible
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Adjective
However, since the standard plan is not an PSLF eligible plan, for borrowers pursuing PSLF would be stuck in the RAP at higher monthly payments, but a shorter 10 year loan timeframe.
—Robert Farrington, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Cervical cancer deaths in women under age 25—the first generation eligible to receive the vaccine—fell by 65 percent from 2012 to 2019.
—Liz Szabo, Scientific American, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
There are two potential 2025 draft eligibles in this projection: Victor Eklund, who has been highly productive in the Swedish Allsvenskan, and Anton Frondell, who came into the season looking like a potential top-five pick but has been quieter to begin the year.
—Scott Wheeler, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
Of the 28 Modern-Era semifinalists, five are first-year eligible which includes cornerback Darrelle Revis, tackle Joe Thomas and guard Jahri Evans.
—Dallas News, 3 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for eligible
Cite this Entry
“Eligible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eligible. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
eligible
adjective
el·i·gi·ble
ˈel-ə-jə-bəl
: qualified to be chosen or to participate
eligible to vote
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