Standard Lemma guide

unqualified

adj · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 N K W AA1 L IH0 F AY2 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Not qualified: ineligible; unfit for a position or task.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • His lack of a high school diploma renders him unqualified for the job.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ineligible, nonqualified

Antonyms: competent, eligible, qualified

2

adj

Meaning 2

Not elaborated upon; undescribed; unrestricted.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The right to free speech is well established as not being an unqualified right to violent incitement nor to free amplification.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: undescribed

Antonyms: described, qualified

3

adj

Meaning 3

Outright; thorough; utter; unhampered.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • an unqualified success

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

simple past and past participle of unqualify

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, participle, past

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective

Meaning 5

legally not qualified or sufficient

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a wife is usually considered unqualified to testify against her husband
  • incompetent witnesses

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: incompetent

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective

Meaning 6

not meeting the proper standards and requirements and training

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: qualified

7

adjective

Meaning 7

not limited or restricted

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an unqualified denial

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: qualified

8

adjective satellite

Meaning 8

having no right or entitlement

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a distinction to which he was unentitled

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unentitled

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- English qualified English unqualified From un- + qualified.

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: негоден (negoden) — ineligible, not qualified
  • Danish: ukvalificeret — ineligible, not qualified
  • Finnish: epäpätevä — ineligible, not qualified
  • French: non qualifié — ineligible, not qualified
  • German: unqualifiziert — ineligible, not qualified
  • Greek: ακατάρτιστος (akatártistos) — ineligible, not qualified
  • Japanese: 失格の (shikkaku no) — ineligible, not qualified
  • Japanese: 無資格の (mushikaku no) — ineligible, not qualified
  • Manx: neuaarlit — ineligible, not qualified
  • Manx: anchooie (da) — ineligible, not qualified
  • Māori: māraurau-kore — ineligible, not qualified
  • Norwegian Bokmål: ukvalifisert — ineligible, not qualified
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: ukvalifisert — ineligible, not qualified
  • Polish: niewykwalifikowany — ineligible, not qualified
  • Romanian: necalificat — ineligible, not qualified
  • Romanian: incompetent — ineligible, not qualified
  • Romanian: necompetent — ineligible, not qualified
  • Russian: неквалифицированный (nekvalificirovannyj) — ineligible, not qualified
  • Spanish: no cualificado — ineligible, not qualified
  • Bulgarian: неоспорим (neosporim) — undescribed
  • German: unqualifiziert — undescribed
  • Romanian: nestudiat — undescribed
  • Romanian: necercetat — undescribed
  • Serbo-Croatian: неоспособљен — undescribed
  • Serbo-Croatian: neosposobljen — undescribed
  • Spanish: incondicional — undescribed