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

Additionally, two state-law negligence claims were tossed because they were filed after New York’s three-year statute of limitations had expired. —Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026

Flores wants the case to be certified as a class action on behalf of all Black head coaches, offensive and defensive coordinators, and QB coaches, as well as general managers, and Black candidates for those positions who would fall within the applicable statute of limitations. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 13 Feb. 2026

But the statute of limitations measure, which the committee overwhelmingly supported, never made it to the Senate floor. —Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026

The case was approaching the five-year statute of limitations prior to Tuesday’s arrest announcement; Ikram was attacked on March 17, 2021. —Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 10 Feb. 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