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Eligible vs Available - What's the difference?

eligible | available |

As adjectives the difference between eligible and available

is that eligible is suitable; meeting the conditions; worthy of being chosen; allowed to do something while available is such as one may avail one’s self of; capable of being used for the accomplishment of a purpose.

As a noun eligible

is one who is eligible.

eligible

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Suitable; meeting the conditions; worthy of being chosen; allowed to do something.
  • Usage notes

    Used in the phrase (eligible bachelor) to mean “desirable male”, the corresponding term for a woman is nubile.

    Synonyms

    * qualified

    Antonyms

    * ineligible * unqualified

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who is eligible.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2007, date=October 3, author=Diane Ravitch, title=Get Congress Out of the Classroom, work=New York Times citation
  • , passage=Federal agencies report that only about 1 percent of eligible students take advantage of switching schools and fewer than 20 percent of eligibles receive extra tutoring.}}

    available

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Such as one may avail one’s self of; capable of being used for the accomplishment of a purpose.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
  • , title= , chapter=2 citation , passage=For this scene, a large number of supers are engaged, and in order to further swell the crowd, practically all the available stage hands have to ‘walk on’ dressed in various coloured dominoes, and all wearing masks.}}
    We have an available candidate.
  • Readily obtainable.
  • The list shows the available products in the store.
  • (legal) Valid.
  • This is an available plea.
  • (archaic) Having sufficient power, force, or efficacy to achieve the purpose; availing, effective.
  • *
  • Not in a romantic relationship; single.
  • I asked her if she was available but she said she had a boyfriend.

    Synonyms

    * (such as can be availed of) usable, profitable, advantageous; vacant (of a location) * (legally valid) effectual, valid

    Antonyms

    * (such as can be availed of) unavailable