English Reference
Noun

disqualification

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US /dɪsˌkwɑɫəfəˈkeɪʃən/ UK /dɪskwˌɒlɪfɪkˈeɪʃən/ dis·qual·i·fi·ca·tion UK spelling disqualifications

n.the act of stopping someone from taking part in a competition or activity because they broke a rule.

n.the act of declaring someone ineligible for a competition, position, or privilege due to a violation of rules or lack of qualifications.


SIMPLE

The runner faced disqualification for starting too early.

CONTEXTUAL

After the judges discovered the athlete had used a banned substance, they announced his immediate disqualification from the tournament.

COMPLEX

The committee ruled that any failure to disclose a conflict of interest would result in the automatic disqualification of the candidate from the selection process.

Usage

Countable when referring to a specific instance or event; uncountable when referring to the general state or process.

The super-welterweight bout in October 2015 was awarded to Williams in the ninth round on disqualification after Colon’s team removed his gloves, with the fighter complaining of dizziness.

Al Jazeera· 14 Aug 2026

From dis- + qualification.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated