limped; limping; limps
1
a
: to walk with an uneven and usually slow movement or gait
especially
: to walk favoring one leg
The injured player limped off the field.
b
: to go unsteadily : falter
After which the conversation limped for some time …—
Henry Green
Henry Green2
: to proceed slowly or with difficulty
The ship limped back to port.
limper
noun
plural limpers
: an uneven movement or gait : a favoring of one leg while walking
1
a
: lacking firm texture, substance, or structure
limp curtains
her hair hung limp about her shoulders
b
: not stiff or rigid
a book in a limp binding
2
b
: lacking in strength, vigor, or firmness : spiritless
limply
adverb
limpness
noun
Examples of limp in a Sentence
Verb
The injured player limped off the court.
The dog was limping slightly.
The damaged ship limped back to port.
The company has somehow managed to limp along despite the bad economy.
Noun
We noticed that the dog was walking with a slight limp.
Adjective
He gave me a very limp handshake.
This plant isn't doing well—look how limp the leaves are.
Her hair hung limp around her shoulders.
I suddenly went limp and collapsed on the floor.
He was limp with fatigue.
Recent Examples on the Web
Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
The center exited the Liberty locker room limping with a walking boot on her right leg.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 20 June 2025
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Conley walked out of Target Center after that decisive Game 5 loss with a significant limp after playing through injury and the legitimate thought of whether that was his last legitimate chance to chase an elusive championship.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 15 May 2025
Tim Grierson, Vulture, 20 June 2025
But in the resulting crash, as flames burst all around and the pilot’s bodies go limp, the camera in the cockpit finds Fielder, standing against the conflagration.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for limp
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Verb
At a hearing on Thursday, Hipolito walked into court, limping and shackled in the same clothes he had been arrested in.
—Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
The center exited the Liberty locker room limping with a walking boot on her right leg.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 20 June 2025
Noun
Based on the wall-to-wall live coverage available during the qualifying rounds on Max, TNT Sports is walking with a gangsta limp, left hand tucked behind the back.
—Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
Conley walked out of Target Center after that decisive Game 5 loss with a significant limp after playing through injury and the legitimate thought of whether that was his last legitimate chance to chase an elusive championship.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 15 May 2025
Adjective
Crystal Skull is easily Spielberg’s laziest, sloppiest work — even the action sequences seem phoned-in — and it’s filled with unforgivable howlers: Shia LaBeouf’s limp attempt at being a bad boy, Cate Blanchett’s hammy villain, the goddamn fridge scene.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 20 June 2025
But in the resulting crash, as flames burst all around and the pilot’s bodies go limp, the camera in the cockpit finds Fielder, standing against the conflagration.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for limp
Cite this Entry
“Limp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/limp. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
limp
1 of 3 verb1
: to walk with difficulty due to physical impairment
2
: to go slowly or with difficulty
limp
2 of 3 noun
: a limping movement or gait
walked with a limp
limp
3 of 3 adjective1
: not firm or stiff
limply
adverb
limpness
noun
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