English Reference
Verb

disqualify

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /dɪsˈkwɑɫəˌfaɪ/ UK /dɪskwˈɒlɪfˌaɪ/ dis·qual·i·fy UK spelling disqualified, disqualifies, disqualifying

v.to officially remove someone from a competition or a job because they broke the rules or did not meet the requirements.

v.to declare someone ineligible for a position or competition due to a violation of rules or failure to meet standards. Transitive — requires a direct object.


SIMPLE

The athlete was disqualified for using banned substances.

CONTEXTUAL

The committee decided to disqualify the candidate after discovering he had lied on his application.

COMPLEX

By failing to submit the necessary documentation on time, the firm was effectively disqualified from the tender process, losing the contract to a smaller competitor.

The cattle's owner had been disqualified from keeping animals for life after being found guilty of a number of animal welfare offences in May.

BBC News· 17 Aug 2026

The farmer was found guilty of a number of animal welfare offences in May and disqualified from keeping animals for life.

BBC News· 14 Aug 2026

From dis- + qualify.

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

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated