eligible

eligible — adjective

1. meeting the official standards or conditions needed to take part in a program, r

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

meeting the official standards or conditions needed to take part in a program, receive a benefit, or be chosen for something.

Example

Only students with a grade of B or higher are eligible for the scholarship.

eligible for + noun phrase (standard pattern)

Brandon became eligible to vote after his eighteenth birthday last month.

eligible to + infinitive (age requirement)

Common collocations
  • eligible for [scholarship/visa/discount/benefit/pension]
  • eligible to [vote/apply/receive/participate]
  • eligible age
Synonyms
  • qualified

    focuses on having the specific skills or credentials needed, slightly more formal

  • entitled

    emphasizes a legal or moral right rather than meeting standards

  • suitable

    broader term, focuses on being appropriate rather than meeting formal criteria

Antonyms
  • ineligible

    direct opposite; the only common antonym for this sense

  • disqualified

    implies previous eligibility was lost due to a rule violation

Grammar Patterns

eligible for + noun phrase

eligible to + infinitive

Usage Note

Frequently followed by 'for' + noun phrase or 'to' + infinitive. The subject can be a person, organization, or even an inanimate item that meets criteria.

Common Mistakes

I am eligible for get a discount.
I am eligible for a discount.' or 'I am eligible to get a discount.
'eligible for' takes a noun; 'eligible to' takes a verb.
He is eligible of participating in the contest.
He is eligible to participate in the contest.
Use 'to' not 'of' before a verb.

2. considered a good choice for a marriage partner, typically because the person is

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

considered a good choice for a marriage partner, typically because the person is wealthy, attractive, and not married.

Example

The magazine's annual list features the country's most eligible bachelors.

most eligible (common intensifier pattern)

Diya's grandmother described the new neighbor as a very eligible young man.

Common collocations
  • eligible bachelor
  • eligible young man/woman
  • eligible for marriage
  • most eligible
Synonyms
  • desirable

    broader; can refer to any attractive quality, not just marriage suitability

  • marriageable

    direct synonym but more old-fashioned and less common

Antonyms
  • unavailable

    already in a relationship or married, so not an option

Usage Note

Almost exclusively describes unmarried adults who are perceived as desirable matches. Common in journalism and social commentary rather than everyday conversation.

Common Mistakes

She is eligible to marry.' (if meaning she is a desirable partner)
She is considered an eligible marriage partner.
'eligible to marry' describes legal permission, not desirability as a partner.

eligible — noun

Word family

  • eligibly
    adverbC1
  • eligibility
    nounB2
  • ineligible
    adjectiveB2
  • ineligibility
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All three words relate to fitness for a purpose, but they differ in emphasis. 'Qualified' focuses on possessing the specific skills, training, or credentials needed — a person is 'qualified for a job' because they hold the right degree. 'Eligible' is broader: you can be eligible by age, residency, or other formal criteria without having any special skills. 'Entitled' adds a legal or moral claim — if you are entitled to a benefit, you have a right to it, not merely permission. 'Suitable' is the least formal and most flexible, describing general appropriateness ('a suitable gift') without implying any official standards. For example: a retired teacher is 'qualified' to tutor, 'eligible' for a senior discount, 'entitled' to her pension, and 'suitable' as a babysitter.

qualified ↗entitledsuitable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • eligible for consideration
  • eligible to apply
  • eligible candidate

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'eligible' comes from Latin 'eligere', meaning 'to pick out' or 'to choose', formed from 'e-' (out) and 'legere' (to gather, select). It passed through Late Latin 'eligibilis' and then Middle French 'éligible' before entering English in the early 1600s. The original sense of 'fit to be chosen' remains at the core of both modern meanings — whether being chosen for a program or as a marriage partner.