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 Between the glimpses Philon and Kusturica displayed, UCLA’s future ceiling is certainly high. — Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 7 Nov. 2026 The inside had colorful lanterns hanging from the ceiling, warm lemon walls and Buddhist portraits on the wall. — Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2026 The administration repeatedly lowered the annual refugee admissions ceiling, ultimately setting it at 15,000 for fiscal year 2021, a record low at the time. — Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026 On top of the stone wall was a timber-frame skeleton supporting a stunning vaulted ceiling. — Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 7 Nov. 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
  • But his serious lapse in judgment will dent confidence in one of the world’s most consequential companies, at the very moment when investors have shown that their faith in the market’s AI growth story has limits.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Institutionalizing those limits would help prevent future administrations from using civil-rights enforcement to impose political orthodoxy.
    — Ilya Shapiro, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of limit
Noun
  • The best college coaches these days are good on the field but also get people excited enough that the fundraising goes through the roof.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Most of it centered on a life-size reproduction of part of the clock tower on the roof of Wako, a department store in the tony Tokyo neighborhood of Ginza, scarred by a kaiju attack.
    — Matt Alt, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of roof
Noun
  • If successful, the work could offer defense engineers another way to overcome processing limitations.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2026
  • People with osteoporosis, previous fractures or physical limitations may need guidance on appropriate movements and loads.
    — Priya Bhardwaj, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of limitation
Noun
  • Foliage grows on branches spreading out in tall canopies, while shrub growth is lower to the ground.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The Main Park Road directs toward a canopy of live oaks, a cooler setting that attracts the horses and leads toward the Dungeness historic district.
    — Judith Garrison, AJC.com, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of canopy
Noun
  • Protect Jewish students while restoring a clear boundary between harassment and protected speech.
    — Ilya Shapiro, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The team’s calculations predicted that these boundaries, known as domain walls, could conduct electricity and move when a voltage was applied.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of boundary
Noun
  • Jackson was taken to the Ravens' medical tent and then immediately escorted to the team's locker room while wearing a towel around his entire right hand.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Meanwhile, police in Portugal early Sunday forcibly cleared a tent camp set up in Lisbon by activists protesting against high housing costs.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of tent
Noun
  • There was D’Agostino’s Villa Nova, a beloved white-tablecloth Italian place that was near the end of its life cycle when Joseph showed up.
    — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Defensive end Austin Booker swatted a pass by Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, and Lynch came down with the football for his first career pick.
    — Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 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 9 Nov. 2026.

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