ceiling

noun

ˈsē-liŋ How to pronounce ceiling (audio)
Definition of ceilingnext
1
as in limit
a real or imaginary point beyond which a person or thing cannot go there's a ceiling on prices

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in roof
a raised covering over something for decoration or protection we sat around the campfire under a ceiling of stars

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ceiling The National Transportation Safety Board has said passengers and flight attendants were thrown into the ceiling with enough force to crack some of the interior panels before tossing them back to the floor and then up again. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 In the living room, Tagliaferri, who is an art collector himself, created a floor-to-ceiling ceramic mural. — Leonie Rolinck, Architectural Digest, 9 Oct. 2026 This contains a sofa, chair, and a coffee table, with a ceiling fan above. — New Atlas, 9 Oct. 2026 Indeed, the hotel transformed five stars from a ceiling into a starting point. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ceiling
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ceiling
  1. limit
  2. roof
  3. limitation
  4. canopy
  5. boundary
  6. tent
  7. end
Noun
  • Items for babies and children up to age three face the strictest limits.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Practicing attorneys who specialize in financial services and debt collection interviewed by The Star were split over whether the 15% limit applies to medical debt.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of limit
Noun
  • The footage taken in the Panhandle region shows the wind ripping off the roof of the hotel, which sits about 17 miles inland from Pensacola beaches.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
  • This one, steeped in milk and cream, sparks off the roof of your mouth with a gentle chile burn and the pleasantly numbing zap of cloves.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of roof
Noun
  • But their newfound popularity also brought new attention to their limitations — several studies have shown that pulse oximeters overestimate blood oxygen levels when used on darker skin tones.
    — Anil Oza, STAT, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Since the players sued in 2024, the claim was filed well after the applicable limitations period expired.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of limitation
Noun
  • Stringing up some quick canopies in response to baking heat seems obvious.
    — Blanca Begert, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Studies of Boston’s urban canopy show Hyde Park experiencing tree loss at a higher rate than other Boston neighborhoods.
    — Kendra Nordin Beato, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of canopy
Noun
  • Anger can provide useful information, signaling that something is unfair, a boundary has been crossed, or an important goal is being blocked.
    — Tatiana Sataua, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026
  • That slight sense of unease, coupled with Faith’s crystalline country voice and boundary-pushing songwriting, is at the core of her record Cherry Valley (and the recent deluxe version, Cherry Valley Forever).
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of boundary
Noun
  • Sprinkled around the old-growth forest and ocean shores, each of the 25 canvas tents has a private deck and heated bathroom floors, and some also feature outdoor cedar showers and cast-iron stoves.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The special teams ace went to the blue medical tent to be evaluated for a concussion.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of tent
Noun
  • The final scene was shot on Marina Beach at the end of a rough day, in a window of just a few hours.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The vestiges of his fading memory flash by with a haunting plainness, the melancholy of all this Americana and the sadness of a mind ravaged by time strike the viewer plainly at the end of this maximalist piece of life-writing.
    — Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of end

Phrases Containing ceiling

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ceilidhs
ceiling
ceilings
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Cite this Entry

“Ceiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ceiling. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ceiling

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ceiling

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