ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ineligible

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌɪˈnɛɫɪdʒəbəɫ// UK //ɪnˈɛlɪdʒəbəl// in·el·i·gi·ble

adj. not allowed to do or have something because you do not meet the official rules. You are often disqualified because of your age, nationality, or job.

adj. legally or officially disqualified from a position, benefit, or activity due to failing to meet specific requirements. Often used predicatively after 'be' or 'become'.


SIMPLE

He is ineligible for the prize because he works for the company.

CONTEXTUAL

The committee ruled that the athlete was ineligible to compete because she had not lived in the country long enough.

COMPLEX

While the candidate possessed the necessary experience, his previous tenure in a conflicting government role rendered him ineligible for the new oversight position under current ethics laws.

Antonyms
Origin

From French inéligible.

Usage

Commonly followed by the preposition 'for' plus a noun, or 'to' plus an infinitive verb.

Pitfall

He is ineligible of the benefitHe is ineligible for the benefitIneligible takes the preposition 'for' when referring to a noun, not 'of'.

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