speed limit

noun

Definition of speed limit

: the maximum or minimum speed permitted by law in a given area under specified circumstances

Examples of speed limit in a Sentence

The speed limit here is 55 mph. She got a ticket for breaking the speed limit.

Recent Examples on the Web Drivers of pickup trucks with trailers were getting stuck in the sand and spinning their wheels or hitting the gas to avoid losing traction on the beach, where the speed limit is 15 mph. — Los Angeles Times, "Will off-roading end at Oceano Dunes? Coastal Commission to consider fate of controversial park," 17 Mar. 2021 Fourth, the speed limit was set at 45 mph, which mitigates noise and air pollution. — John E. Diehl, Star Tribune, "Counterpoint: I-35E was a rare victory for free people over freeways," 24 Feb. 2021 Driving motorbikes and scooters was forbidden, and the speed limit for cars was reduced to limit the further spread of ash. — Peter Aitken, Fox News, "Mount Etna in Italy erupts twice in 48 hours, photos show," 19 Feb. 2021 That’s very apparent in Lake County, where the speed limit on Interstate 90 east of Ohio 44 has been reduced to 30 mph, according to ohgo.com. — Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, "OH weather: Slick roads as snow continues through morning in Northeast Ohio," 16 Feb. 2021 Under her tenure, thousands of speed cameras were installed, and the city’s speed limit was reduced to 25 miles per hour. — Caroline Spivack, Curbed, "What Does Polly Trottenberg’s NYC DOT Tell Us About What She’ll Do in D.C.?," 26 Jan. 2021 Travelers should note the speed limit has been reduced on this portion of West Burnside to 30 mph. — oregonlive, "Portland Wednesday traffic: West Burnside reopens after a week of landslide repairs, cleanup," 20 Jan. 2021 Allows for a 20 miles per hour school zone around a preschool located on a street with a speed limit of 45 miles per hour. — Jessie Balmert, The Enquirer, "Ohio lawmakers expected to pass $8.3B budget for roads, bridges with boost for public transit," 25 Mar. 2021 The plan recommends setting a default speed limit of 25 mph and requiring a study to justify any higher speeds. — Rebecca Lurye, courant.com, "Hartford streets walkable, safer for pedestrians, cyclists, bus riders? That’s the vision of a new plan," 10 Mar. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'speed limit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about speed limit

Dictionary Entries near speed limit

speed-length ratio

Statistics for speed limit

Last Updated

9 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Speed limit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speed%20limit. Accessed 10 Apr. 2021.

Style: MLA

MLA

Chicago

APA

Merriam-Webster Check Mark Icon

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for speed limit

speed limit

noun

English Language Learners Definition of speed limit

: the highest speed at which you are allowed to drive on a particular road

See the full definition for speed limit in the English Language Learners Dictionary

Comments on speed limit

What made you want to look up speed limit? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

WORD OF THE DAY

fatuous

Listen to the pronunciation of fatuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

The Exceptions Quiz III

Which of these words does not mean "nonsense"?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ

Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ