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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 Roughly 6,000 square feet showcases 14-foot ceilings, while vast walls of glass and 3,400 square feet of outdoor space that includes a private rooftop terrace capture views of the Brooklyn Bridge and One World Trade Center. — Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 25 Sep. 2026 Disco balls and fake green mossy plants hang from the ceiling, and there’s a TV mounted on the walls in nearly every direction. — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026 Questions remain about range, latency, and performance ceilings, but WiCi's promo video at least showcases what the technology can manage, VideoCardz reports. — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 25 Sep. 2026 The ceiling on what a person can contribute gets higher when the floor is handled. — Ali Alkhafaji, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 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
  • The team calculated a combined measure of heat and humidity that sets a lethal limit for modern endotherms and found that threshold was never crossed anywhere in their Cretaceous simulations.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is preparing legislation to ban burqas and niqabs in schools and impose limits on foreign students per classroom.
    — Maria Grazia Murru, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of limit
Noun
  • The pool on the roof is an optimistic addition in the face of Milan’s often gray climate.
    — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The use of natural materials, along with the structure’s clean lines and shed style roof, accentuate its visual appeal.
    — James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of roof
Noun
  • One of the main limitations is that exposure was assessed using a single urine sample.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Despite these limitations, there is promise in these floating amoebas.
    — Sam Lubell, Curbed, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of limitation
Noun
  • In all, roughly 1,200 workers are still grinding away, some with power tools, others with 10-foot-long feather dusters, cleaning the rafters beneath the canopy.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Separately, the Pentagon is investigating how sensitive F-35 components — including a cockpit canopy with radar-absorbent coating — were diverted from an Australian repair hub to Hong Kong, where Chinese authorities are reportedly now holding them.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of canopy
Noun
  • Sometimes confidence comes from realizing the old boundaries no longer match the size of your curiosity.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
  • These boundaries separate regions carrying different polarization states.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of boundary
Noun
  • Many people prefer to live in the ruins of their houses instead of having tents because the tents do not protect them from any kind of rain or any kind of heat, and there are also rodents that spread diseases.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The fans in Auburn, Alabama, came out, leaning from ramps and peeking from tents to catch a glimpse of their new administrations, each in their first SEC duel of the year.
    — Noah White, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of tent
Noun
  • Trump’s Defense Production Act authority is slated to lapse at the end of the month.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • While the era’s bust eventually brought most of those ventures to an end, Brown said the experience taught him not to let the fear of failure—or looking foolish—get in the way.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 20 Sep. 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 27 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ceiling

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ceiling

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