ineligible

adjective

in·​el·​i·​gi·​ble (ˌ)i-ˈne-lə-jə-bəl 

: not eligible: such as

a

: not qualified for an office or position

b

: not permitted under football rules to catch a forward pass

an ineligible receiver

ineligibility

(ˌ)i-ˌne-lə-jə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

ineligible noun

Examples of ineligible in a Sentence

Previously ineligible patients may now be able to participate in the study.

They are ineligible for a loan.

Recent Examples on the Web

Some lenders have requirements regarding a property’s condition, and extensive repairs could make a home ineligible for certain types of financing. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2026

Esquivel, who previously played with Grapevine baseball, is ineligible at Southlake Carroll for one calendar year. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2026

Oklahoma State coach Steve Lutz, whose players Kashie Natt and Parsa Fallah have both filed lawsuits to get an extra year, says his concern is what happens to them if they are ruled ineligible. — Cj Moore, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

The Department of Justice has launched a state-by-state review to scrutinize how officials manage voter rolls and remove ineligible voters. — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French inéligible, from in- + éligible eligible

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ineligible

• eligible
• intelligible
• unintelligible

Kids Definition

ineligible

adjective

in·​el·​i·​gi·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈel-ə-jə-bəl 

: not qualified to be chosen or used

ineligibility

(ˌ)in-ˌel-ə-jə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

ineligible noun