ineligible

adjective

in·​el·​i·​gi·​ble (ˌ)i-ˈne-lə-jə-bəl 

: not eligible: such as

a

: not qualified for an office or position

b

: not permitted under football rules to catch a forward pass

an ineligible receiver

ineligibility

(ˌ)i-ˌne-lə-jə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

ineligible noun

Examples of ineligible in a Sentence

Previously ineligible patients may now be able to participate in the study.

They are ineligible for a loan.

Recent Examples on the Web

Har-Ber actually won three games on the field in 2024, but the Wildcats had to forfeit their 65-50 victory over Class 5A Farmington in a nonconference game Sept. 7 due to use of an ineligible player. —Graham Thomas, arkansasonline.com, 11 Dec. 2024

Furthermore, those people then were deemed ineligible to seek asylum when the Trump administration implemented a rule requiring asylum seekers to first seek refuge in Mexico or elsewhere. —Alex Riggins, The Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2024

Understanding there is no possibility of a repeat as Narbonne will be banned from the playoffs next fall because of City sanctions for using ineligible players, Manuel’s message was to concentrate on the present, not an uncertain future, and his team embraced it fully. —Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 30 Nov. 2024

But the 2011 championship was later vacated when the FHSAA ruled that the Hawks and runner-up Miami Central had ineligible players. —Staff Reports, Orlando Sentinel, 29 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French inéligible, from in- + éligible eligible

First Known Use

1770, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

ineligible

adjective

in·​el·​i·​gi·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈel-ə-jə-bəl 

: not qualified to be chosen or used

ineligibility

(ˌ)in-ˌel-ə-jə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

ineligible noun