1
a
: the overhead inside lining of a room
The room has a high ceiling.
b
: material used to ceil a wall or roof of a room
2
: something thought of as an overhanging shelter or a lofty canopy
a ceiling of stars
3
a
: the height above the ground from which prominent objects on the ground can be seen and identified
b
: the height above the ground of the base of the lowest layer of clouds when over half of the sky is obscured
4
a
b
5
: an upper usually prescribed limit
a ceiling on prices, rents, and wages
Examples of ceiling in a Sentence
The house has low ceilings.
The airplane has a ceiling of 32,000 feet.
Recent Examples on the Web
The lobby is full of installations and furniture that double as art, like a floor-to-ceiling digital art display and antique tables encased within modern glass tables.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
Beside the Bulls and Blackhawks championship ceiling-high banners towered a similar black and white police helicopter.
—Mark Braboy, VIBE.com, 31 May 2026
Getting commercial property values back down to a 15% increase ceiling entailed manually reviewing the assessed values of hundreds of properties countywide, targeting anything valued under $5 million in 2023.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2026
The Tommy's dedicated sleeping areas are made up of two lofts with low ceilings, giving it a sleeping capacity of up to six adults when the sofa bed is used.
—Adam Williams
may 31, New Atlas, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ceiling
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Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
Beside the Bulls and Blackhawks championship ceiling-high banners towered a similar black and white police helicopter.
—Mark Braboy, VIBE.com, 31 May 2026
Getting commercial property values back down to a 15% increase ceiling entailed manually reviewing the assessed values of hundreds of properties countywide, targeting anything valued under $5 million in 2023.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2026
The Tommy's dedicated sleeping areas are made up of two lofts with low ceilings, giving it a sleeping capacity of up to six adults when the sofa bed is used.
—Adam Williams
may 31, New Atlas, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ceiling
Cite this Entry
“Ceiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ceiling. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ceiling
noun
ceil·ing
ˈsē-liŋ 
1
: the overhead inside lining of a room
2
: something that hangs over or is above
3
: the height above the ground of the base of the lowest layer of clouds when over half of the sky is hidden by clouds
4
: the greatest height at which an airplane can operate efficiently
5
: an upper usually prescribed limit
a ceiling on prices
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