unqualified

adjective

un·​qual·​i·​fied ˌən-ˈkwä-lə-ˌfīd How to pronounce unqualified (audio)
1
: not fit : not having requisite qualifications
2
: not modified or restricted by reservations : complete
an unqualified denial
unqualifiedly adverb

Examples of unqualified in a Sentence

He is clearly unqualified for the job. It's a judgment that you are unqualified to make. You have my unqualified support.
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.
The program has been an unqualified success — both for McDonald’s franchisees, which have used it to cultivate a skilled, loyal workforce, and for their employees, who appreciate the ability to earn and learn simultaneously. Ryan Stowers, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met for the first time on June 25 after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. fired all 17 original members on June 9, replacing them with members that critics have called unqualified. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 25 June 2025 Trump apparently sees no need for further negotiation, because the military strikes were, to him, an unqualified success. Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 24 June 2025 In the event of such a case, a civil action can be filed against the unqualified candidate to remove his name from the ballot, and, once filed, the statute states that the court must hold a hearing and resolve the case within one week after the filing. Chris West, Baltimore Sun, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for unqualified

Word History

First Known Use

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unqualified was in 1556

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Cite this Entry

“Unqualified.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unqualified. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

unqualified

adjective
un·​qual·​i·​fied ˌən-ˈkwäl-ə-ˌfīd How to pronounce unqualified (audio)
ˈən-
1
: not fit : not having required qualifications
unqualified for the job
2
: not having any exceptions : absolute
an unqualified denial
unqualifiedly adverb

Legal Definition

unqualified

adjective
un·​qual·​i·​fied ˌən-ˈkwä-lə-ˌfīd How to pronounce unqualified (audio)
: not qualified

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