qualified
KWOL-ih-fyd
Qualified (adjective) means having the necessary skills, training, or credentials for a role. Example: “Only qualified electricians should work on this wiring.”
adjective
1
Having the necessary skills, training, or credentials for a role.
"Only qualified electricians should work on this wiring."
"She is a fully qualified nurse with ten years of experience."
"We need someone qualified to teach advanced French to adults."
2
Limited or restricted by certain conditions rather than given without reservation.
"Gatwick has been given a qualified green light to operate a second runway after the government “set out a path to expansion” for London’s second biggest airport."
— Gwyn Topham, Minister ‘sets path’ to allow Gatwick to open second runway (2025)
"Assuming that I have all the information, my qualified opinion is that your plan will work."
"The board gave the proposal only qualified support."
"The reviewer gave the film a qualified recommendation, with several warnings."
"His answer was a qualified yes, depending on the weather."
How to use qualified
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither properly trained/certified for something, or (of approval/praise) given with some conditions attached.
Common pairings
a qualified nurse
qualified support
highly qualified
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more qualified
- Superlative
- most qualified
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Only _____ electricians should work on this wiring.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for qualified
See all rhymes for qualified →Frequently asked questions
What does “qualified” mean?
The word “qualified” means having the necessary skills, training, or credentials for a role. In plain terms, either properly trained/certified for something, or (of approval/praise) given with some conditions attached.
How do you pronounce “qualified”?
“Qualified” is pronounced KWOL-ih-fyd (/ˈkwɑ.lɪ.faɪd/ in IPA).
How do you use “qualified” in a sentence?
Here is “qualified” used in a sentence: “Only qualified electricians should work on this wiring.”
What is the opposite of “qualified”?
The opposite of “qualified” — its antonyms — are disqualified, non-qualified and unqualified.
What part of speech is “qualified”?
“Qualified” is an adjective.
Is “qualified” a common word?
“Qualified” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “qualified” have?
“Qualified” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having the necessary skills, training, or credentials for a role.
What is the difference between qualified and experienced?
Being qualified means holding the training, credentials, or certificates a role requires, proof on paper that you meet the standard. Being experienced means having actually done the work over time. Someone can be qualified without much experience, or highly experienced yet not formally qualified; ideally a candidate is both.
What is the difference between qualified and unqualified?
A qualified person has the skills, training, or credentials a role demands; an unqualified person lacks them. The distinction matters most in regulated fields like medicine, law, or teaching, where being qualified is a legal requirement. Unqualified can also mean total or without reservation, as in 'unqualified success.'
Can qualified mean limited?
Yes. Besides meaning suitably trained, qualified can mean limited or conditional. A 'qualified approval' or 'qualified success' is one that comes with reservations rather than being wholehearted. Here the word signals that something has been restricted or hedged, so the praise or agreement is not complete.
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