LIMITS Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

limits 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of limit

as in restricts

to set bounds or an upper limit for limit the note to a few words

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in defines

to mark the limits of adjectives limit the meanings of nouns

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limits

2 of 2

noun

plural of limit

as in limitations

a real or imaginary point beyond which a person or thing cannot go there was no limit to the number of challenges they faced

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as in heights

the most extreme or advanced point those bratty kids have pushed my patience to the limit

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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 limits

Verb

David Ryder | Reuters The typical homeowners insurance policy excludes or limits coverage for damage from certain disasters, such as earthquakes, landslides and floods, according to insurance experts. — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 26 Sep. 2026 In short, the BofA analyst doesn’t see innovation offsetting the weakness in the larget lifestyle categories, which in turn limits visibility into more durable sales that would provide an earnings recovery. — Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026 Instead of functioning only as a defensive layer that limits what organizations can do, security can enable what becomes possible. — Dr. Najwa Aaraj, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026 Unlike his predecessor under a Democratic president—former astronaut Charlie Bolden, who served as NASA leader under President Obama—Nelson supported the Wolf Amendment, which strictly limits cooperation between NASA and China’s space program. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026 This risks grid instability and drives up system-firming costs, which potentially limits industrial growth. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026 Efforts to raise Texas’ minimum wage to at least $15 an hour were filed during the 2025 legislative session, but none became law, and state law also limits what cities and counties can require private employers to pay. — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Sep. 2026 That limits scientists' understanding of how the plasma in these jets flows. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Sep. 2026 The legislation allows for the president to impose tariffs, but limits the scope of those tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas and the top five countries that aid Russia's energy sanctions evasion. — David Brennan, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026

Noun

The resort, just north of Roseville’s city limits, would be built around a 5-acre surf lagoon and is planned to include a 100-room hotel, 22 bungalows and a 28,390-square-foot surf center. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2026 The donor area has limits, and removing too many grafts may leave it looking uneven or depleted. — Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026 How Floridians who seek compensation for damages from their insurers are seeing their claims rejected more often, in the wake of the sharp new limits on their ability to sue. — Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2026 Bessent said the countries had agreed to extend their truce until January, preserving lower tariffs and limits on Chinese export controls covering rare earths. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026 The area around airports is also off limits for drones, due to the danger of colliding with aircraft with people onboard. — Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026 Twenty-five states have called for a constitutional amendment to restore the ability of Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on money in elections. — Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 The ruling invalidated spending limits and led to the rise of super PACs (political action committees) in federal elections. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Sep. 2026 Skipping the February show season has also given Esh more time to push his limits with regard to craft. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for limits

Verb

And the General Assembly passed a state budget in July that further restricts local governments from requiring businesses to set wage or benefits levels as contract terms.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 24 Sep. 2026
And the public at large suffers for however long the unconstitutional ban restricts access to current and complete information about their government.

— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of restricts

Verb

Jewelry is also essential, both day and night, and is probably the element that defines my style the most.

— Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2026
The World Health Organization defines a fall as an event in which a person inadvertently comes to rest on the ground, floor, or another lower level, so a same-level slip or trip may also qualify.

— Matthew Kayser, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of defines

Noun

This requires that software developers understand how to prompt AI with relevant and highly honed questions, validate outputs, understand the limitations of AI models and maintain accountability for the final product.

— Alberto Lugo, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
However, the proposal has limitations, said Garrett Watson, vice president of federal tax policy for the Tax Foundation, a research organization.

— Sarah Agostino, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of limitations

Noun

On a hot Saturday, Pawlikowski and I revisited those heights—the slopes from which, for almost four years, starting in the spring of 1992, Serbian artillery pounded Sarajevo, which lies vulnerably cupped in the valley below.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
But unlike the post-pandemic party shoe craze, many brands also kept versatility and comfort at the forefront, showing a range of heel heights and flats.

— Katie Abel, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of heights

Verb

Places like Los Angeles and Oakland have high permit fees and strict zoning that often confines cans to industrial areas.

— Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 9 Feb. 2026
In an industry that often confines its actors, especially women and especially Black women, Hall continues to carve a path defined by risk, depth and courage.

— Clayton Davis, Variety, 14 Nov. 2025

Definition of confines

Verb

With the sprightly energy of a schoolboy, Jean-Paul Doron bounds into an empty creek, his red suede shoes scraping pale rocks.

— Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2026
Over a century later, the Himalayan blackberry has spread far beyond the modest backyard bounds its importers envisioned, opting instead to take over indiscriminately and displace the native trailing blackberry (Rubus ursinus) in the process.

— The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 25 June 2026

Definition of bounds

Noun

The brain’s surface has ridges and valleys, and CTE tangles are found in the depths of those valleys, called the cortical sulci, and surround blood vessels.

— Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2026
Youngquist has drilled large-diameter boreholes to depths exceeding 8,000 feet.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of depths

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limitlessness

limits

limn

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Style

“Limits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/limits. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of limits

verb

noun

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