off-limits

adjective

off-lim·​its ˈȯf-ˈli-məts 

: not to be entered or patronized by a designated class (such as military personnel)

also : not to be interfered with, considered, or spoken of

the subject of sex was off-limits in her family

Examples of off-limits in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Already, adult sites such as Pornhub are requiring users to sign in to access their content, which is legal for adults but off-limits for those under 18. —Larry Magid, Mercury News, 31 July 2025

The rest of the food, which includes burgers and hot dogs, is also off-limits for her. —Ashley Vega, People.com, 30 July 2025

The question is, can BYD sustain this breathless pace, and still thrive—even if the U.S. remains off-limits? —Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 29 July 2025

The sailboat remained submerged beneath the barge, and boaters and others on the water were advised of a safety zone off-limits to the public, the Coast Guard said Monday afternoon. —Dennis Romero, NBC news, 28 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for off-limits

• delimits
• limites
• limits

Kids Definition

off-limits

adjective

ˈȯ-ˈflim-əts

1

: not to be entered or used by a certain group of people

2

: not to be discussed or considered

questions about my salary are off-limits