qualify

To meet the conditions needed to receive something, enter a competition, or do a particular job.

• Do I qualify for a discount?
• Our team qualified for the final.
• He hopes to qualify as an electrician.

How to use it: qualify for something (You may qualify for a free ticket.); qualify as something (She qualified as a nurse last year.); qualify to do something (Only the top teams qualify to compete in the final.)

Similar words: be eligible, be entitled

Common phrases: qualify for something, qualify as something, qualify to compete

To give someone the skills or conditions they need to do something or receive something.

• Your income qualifies you for help.
• The course qualified her to repair engines.
• Does this degree qualify me for the job?

How to use it: qualify someone for something (Your experience qualifies you for this job.); qualify someone to do something (This certificate qualifies you to teach swimming.)

Similar words: make eligible, equip

Opposites: disqualify

Common phrases: qualify someone, qualify someone for something

To have the features needed to be considered a particular thing.

• Does this qualify as art?
• That meal certainly qualifies as a feast.
• His behaviour qualified as a serious breach of trust.

How to use it: qualify as something (This small room hardly qualifies as a bedroom.)

Similar words: count as, rank as

Common phrases: qualify as something, qualify as art

To add details or conditions to a statement so that it is less general or certain.

• I should qualify that statement.
• He qualified his praise by mentioning several weaknesses.
• The researcher qualified her claim with a warning about the small sample.

How to use it: qualify something with something (She qualified her agreement with several conditions.)

Similar words: limit, modify, restrict

Common phrases: qualify a statement, qualify a claim, qualify something with something

To add to or limit the meaning of another word or phrase.

• Adjectives can qualify nouns.
• Here, 'small' qualifies 'house'.
• Which word does this adverb qualify?

Similar words: modify

Common phrases: qualify a noun, qualify a verb

To throw and catch each object at least twice while juggling.

• She can qualify five balls.
• He qualified seven rings after months of practice.
• To qualify six clubs, you need twelve catches.

Common phrases: qualify seven balls, qualify five clubs