statute of limitations

noun phrase

: a statute assigning a certain time after which rights cannot be enforced by legal action or offenses cannot be punished

Examples of statute of limitations in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Grand juries have since refused to bring new mortgage fraud charges against James and the Comey case is mired in a thorny evidentiary dispute and statute of limitations concerns. —Eric Tucker, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026

Although not common, some taxpayers may remain in CNC status until the IRS's statute of limitations to collect runs out. —Rebecca Safier, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026

That means there's no hearing, no review of whether the debt is valid and no consideration of whether the statute of limitations has expired. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026

That part of the legal theory is crucial to any potential prosecution, as the statute of limitations has long expired for any criminal wrongdoing that may have taken place around the 2016 election. —Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1641, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for statute of limitations

• abbreviations
• abominations
• accelerations
• accommodations
• accumulations
• adjudications
• administrations
• adulterations
• affiliations
• agglomerations
• alienations
• amalgamations

Legal Definition

statute of limitations

1

a

: a statute establishing a period of time from the accrual of a cause of action (as upon the occurrence or discovery of an injury) within which a right of action must be exercised compare laches, statute of repose

b

: a criminal statute establishing the period of time within which an offense can be punished after its commission

2

: a period of time established by a statute of limitations for commencing an action or prosecution

3

: an affirmative defense that the statute of limitations has expired