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.
Reframing their team without Mbappe has been an unqualified success. Phil Hay, New York Times, 9 July 2025 Speaking to the allegations about inappropriate hiring and promotions, Essig, a 41-year NYPD veteran who retired as chief of detectives, described a landscape under Caban in which unqualified cops with red flags in their records were being put in sensitive joint task forces with the feds. Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 8 July 2025 The scripted comedy that debuted in 2024 revolves around Will (Steven Gerben), the nervous and unqualified heir to an auto repair chain, who attempts to turn his father’s business around despite constant torture from his cousin and now employee, Shane (Gillis). Lynette Rice, Deadline, 1 July 2025 After the frustrations of his first term, when many in his inner circle restrained his worst impulses, Trump put unqualified loyalists in top positions—including Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense and Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence—and strong-armed them through the Senate. Elizabeth N. Saunders, Foreign Affairs, 16 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 18 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

More from Merriam-Webster on unqualified

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