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

The charges of false imprisonment, false arrest and negligence were dismissed for falling outside of a statute of limitations on such claims. —Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026

In the end, Collins granted a motion from Murphy’s attorneys to seek dismissal of the case, ruling the statute of limitations had expired in claims that went as far back as 2013. —Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026

Some were permanently dismissed due to statute of limitations or legal insufficiency, while others were temporary on legal grounds, meaning Pines' lawyers can attempt to correct them. —Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 9 June 2026

OpenAI was recently handed a courtroom victory when Elon Musk’s lawsuit against the company was barred by the statute of limitations. —Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 8 June 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