Definition of limitationnext
1
as in limit
a real or imaginary point beyond which a person or thing cannot go the bridge has a weight limitation that bars heavy trucks from crossing it

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2
as in restriction
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice the state has some fairly strict limitations on the sale and use of alcoholic beverages

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3
as in constraint
the act or practice of keeping something (as an activity) within certain boundaries the limitation on the number of vehicles allowed on the island does not sit well with year-round residents

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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 limitation But the new unit operates only on the criminal court side, which presents limitations. Megan De Mar, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026 As a result, Chandra is good for a lot of things, but its limitations matter when considering those big questions above. Big Think, 11 Mar. 2026 Rhoda says its approach addresses this limitation by training robot models on internet-scale video data before refining them with robot-specific learning. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Mar. 2026 The control, the coercion, the restrictions, the limitations, this is the reality for 90 million people within that country. Bryan Llenas , Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 11 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for limitation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for limitation
Noun
  • Superior spectral energy resolution, a superior point-spread-function, and high-contrast imaging can help enable all of these, above and beyond Chandra’s current limits.
    Big Think, Big Think, 11 Mar. 2026
  • However, in a news release, Oak Park officials noted that the bank had closed other locations within the village limits.
    Alice Fabbre, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The details of the deal that could cover ports, energy and tourism are not known but could include a relaxation of restrictions on Americans traveling to the Caribbean island.
    Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Some policy defenders contend that the labor market weakness reflects adjustments to immigration restrictions rather than fundamental economic failure, positioning this as a deliberate policy choice rather than an economic failure.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Although global turmoil, including Russia's war in Ukraine, has revived debate over Japan acquiring nuclear weapons, domestic support remains low because of legal and political constraints.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Because gout, too, imposes constraint and requires accommodation.
    Jan Steyn, The Dial, 10 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Limitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/limitation. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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