Words of Positivity
Browse the A to Z index4,633 ENTRIES

Eligible

adj.hopeful, capableprofessional

What it means

Meeting the stated conditions for an opportunity, right, or benefit.

Reach for it when confirming qualification under a clear set of rules

Every eligible household may apply for the winter heating grant.

Choose between these

6
  • playful

    in the running

    when continued consideration can be described informally

    not when The idiom implies competition and does not prove formal eligibility.

  • everyday

    available

    when a person or option can actually be chosen now

    not when Available concerns access or timing, not qualification.

  • everyday

    suitable

    when practical fit matters more than formal rules

    not when A suitable person may be ineligible under the stated criteria.

  • professional

    qualified

    when skill, credentials, or formal conditions are satisfied

    not when Qualified often implies competence, while eligibility may depend on age or residence.

  • formal

    admissible

    when rules permit entry, evidence, or a claim

    not when Admissible is legalistic; a permitted candidate is not necessarily selected.

  • formal

    entitled

    when a right to receive something has already arisen

    not when Entitled can sound morally critical and is stronger than merely allowed to apply.

Said against

4
  • ineligible
  • disqualified
  • barred
  • unqualified

It naturally appears in

3
  • eligible applicant

    Each eligible applicant receives the same interview information.

  • eligible for support

    Seasonal workers are eligible for support under the revised rule.

  • become eligible

    Residents become eligible after six months in the district.

Where this comes from

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.