qualify
- 01 B1 Intermediate
to pass an exam or finish a course so that you can do a particular job.
to achieve the necessary credentials or complete the required training to practice a profession.
Simple“After three years of hard study, she finally qualified as a doctor.”
In context“He spent four years in an apprenticeship before he finally qualified as a master carpenter, allowing him to take on independent contracts.”
Usageoften used with the preposition 'as' followed by a profession.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
to have the right to have or do something because you meet certain rules.
to meet the necessary criteria or conditions to be eligible for a benefit or status.
Simple“You must live in the city for a year to qualify for the housing grant.”
In context“The legal team reviewed the application to determine whether the non-profit would qualify for tax-exempt status under the new regulations.”
Usageusually takes the preposition 'for'.
Antonyms - 03 B1 Intermediate
to succeed in one part of a competition so that you can move to the next stage.
to perform successfully in a preliminary heat or round to earn a place in the final or next stage of a contest.
Simple“The runner finished second in her heat, so she qualified for the final.”
In context“Despite a slow start in the opening rounds, the national team managed to qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament.”
Usageoften used with 'for'.
Antonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
to add something to a statement to make it less general or less strong.
to modify or limit the scope of a statement by adding conditions or reservations.
Simple“I need to qualify my earlier comment because I don't want you to misunderstand me.”
In context“The researcher felt it necessary to qualify her findings, noting that the small sample size might not represent the broader population accurately.”
Usagetransitive verb taking a direct object such as 'statement', 'remark', or 'claim'.
Borrowed from Middle French qualifier (“to qualify”). Equivalent to quality + -fy.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.