limit

1 of 2

noun

lim·​it ˈli-mət How to pronounce limit (audio)
1
a
: something that bounds, restrains, or confines
the age limit for junior golf
b
: the utmost extent
pushed her body to the limit
2
a
: a geographic or political boundary
b
limits plural : the place enclosed within a boundary : bounds
into the limits of the North they cameJohn Milton
3
: limitation
the sadness is without limitWilliam Shakespeare
4
: a determining feature or differentia in logic
5
: a prescribed maximum or minimum amount, quantity, or number: such as
a
: the maximum quantity of game or fish that may be taken legally in a specified period
b
: a maximum established for a gambling bet, raise, or payoff
6
a
: a number whose numerical difference from a mathematical function is arbitrarily small for all values of the independent variables that are sufficiently close to but not equal to given prescribed numbers or that are sufficiently large positively or negatively
b
: a number that for an infinite sequence of numbers is such that ultimately each of the remaining terms of the sequence differs from this number by less than any given positive amount
7
: something that is exasperating or intolerable
We've had bad weather, but this is the limit.
limitless adjective
limitlessly adverb
limitlessness noun

limit

2 of 2

verb

limited; limiting; limits

transitive verb

1
: to assign certain limits to : prescribe
reserved the right to limit use of the land
2
a
: to restrict the bounds or limits of
the specialist can no longer limit himself to his specialty
b
: to curtail or reduce in quantity or extent
we must limit the power of aggressors
limitable adjective
limiter noun
Choose the Right Synonym for limit

limit, restrict, circumscribe, confine mean to set bounds for.

limit implies setting a point or line (as in time, space, speed, or degree) beyond which something cannot or is not permitted to go.

visits are limited to 30 minutes

restrict suggests a narrowing or tightening or restraining within or as if within an encircling boundary.

laws intended to restrict the freedom of the press

circumscribe stresses a restriction on all sides and by clearly defined boundaries.

the work of the investigating committee was carefully circumscribed

confine suggests severe restraint and a resulting cramping, fettering, or hampering.

our choices were confined by finances

Examples of limit in a Sentence

Noun He has reached the limit of his endurance. In training, she pushed her body to its physical limits. He tries to be creative within the limits of conventional journalism. There are limits to what I can put up with from him! Verb We need to find ways to limit expenses. He tried to limit the damage to his reputation by blaming other people. A factor limiting our country's economic performance is its lack of resources. Our lack of money limits our options. Because of our lack of money, we have to limit ourselves to fewer options.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
These young women were not the only Chinese peers who spoke with me about closure and stasis, and about the hard limits curtailing their dreams. Christina Knight, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2024 As the party's presumptive nominee, Trump effectively controls the RNC and his political operation can now take advantage of the far higher contribution limits that apply to party committees. CBS News, 22 Mar. 2024 The biggest challenge for many to qualify is that the tax credit is nonrefundable (can only reduce tax to zero), meeting the income limit, and having a qualified vehicle. Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 One tablet has 800 mcg of folic acid, which is twice the RDA but less than the upper limit of 1,000 mcg/day. Lainey Younkin, Ms, Rd, Verywell Health, 22 Mar. 2024 That limit would be the equivalent of a three-hour video call, around 10 hours of web browsing, or a two-hour high-definition movie, according to calculations based on BT data. Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 21 Mar. 2024 In California, the legal limit for driving is .08 percent for people age 21 and older. Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024 At a time when artificial intelligence has assumed overlord status in the popular imagination, Nigel is a reminder of the unknown limits of human performance and the mysteries of the human mind. Krista Stevens, Longreads, 20 Mar. 2024 In addition, this site has made everything simple for you by providing a large range of popular payment options to choose from, with low minimum limits. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024
Verb
That said, the ship never felt crowded, in part because A&K limits capacity for its tours, meaning that some rooms go deliberately unfilled. David Swanson, Travel + Leisure, 24 Mar. 2024 Legislation limiting access to contraceptives is in place or has been introduced in several states. Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Mar. 2024 Labor abuse is endemic in Maharashtra, not limited to any particular mill or farm, according to a local government report and interviews with dozens of workers. Qadri Inzamam Saumya Khandelwal, New York Times, 24 Mar. 2024 The lawsuit accused Apple of antitrust violations by limiting competitor access to iPhone features, marking the third such case in 14 years. Detroit Free Press, 23 Mar. 2024 The location of the leads can’t be changed once they’re implanted, limiting access to different heart regions. Pengju Li, Discover Magazine, 23 Mar. 2024 The presence of the fish — including delta smelt, winter-run chinook salmon and steelhead trout — has triggered state and federal permit requirements that significantly reduce pumping from the delta, including limiting the ability to move water into the San Luis Reservoir, officials said. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024 Coleman, though, was not assigned to any committees, which limited his influence in the statehouse. Luke Nozicka, Kansas City Star, 22 Mar. 2024 The vast majority of U.S. security cooperation was put on pause, with operations limited to force protection and warning Nigerien officials about imminent militant attacks. Michael Birnbaum, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'limit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French limite, from Latin limit-, limes boundary

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of limit was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near limit

Cite this Entry

“Limit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/limit. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

limit

1 of 2 noun
lim·​it ˈlim-ət How to pronounce limit (audio)
1
: a boundary line
within the city limits
2
: a point beyond which a person or thing cannot go
limitless adjective

limit

2 of 2 verb
: to set limits to : keep within limits
limit expenses
management reserves the right to limit quantities
an adjective limits the meaning of a noun

More from Merriam-Webster on limit

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