limit

American  

[lim-it] / ˈlɪm ɪt /

noun

• limits
  plural

1. the final, utmost, or furthest boundary or point as to extent, amount, continuance, procedure, etc.: the limit of vision.

   the limit of his experience;

   the limit of vision.

2. a boundary or bound, as of a country, area, or district.

   Synonyms:

   border, frontier, confines

3. Mathematics.

   1. a number such that the value of a given function remains arbitrarily close to this number when the independent variable is sufficiently close to a specified point or is sufficiently large. The limit of 1/ x is zero as x approaches infinity; the limit of (x − 1) 2 is zero as x approaches 1.

   2. a number such that the absolute value of the difference between terms of a given sequence and the number approaches zero as the index of the terms increases to infinity.

   3. one of two numbers affixed to the integration symbol for a definite integral, indicating the interval or region over which the integration is taking place and substituted in a primitive, if one exists, to evaluate the integral.

4. limits, the premises or region enclosed within boundaries.

   We found them on school limits after hours.

5. Games. the maximum sum by which a bet may be raised at any one time.

6. Informal. the limit, something or someone that exasperates, delights, etc., to an extreme degree.

   You have made errors before, but this is the limit.

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verb (used with object)

• limits,
  present (3rd person singular)
• limited,
  past participle,  past
• limiting
  present participle

1. to restrict by or as if by establishing limits (usually followed byto ).

   Please limit answers to 25 words.

2. to confine or keep within limits.

   to limit expenditures.

   Synonyms:

   bound, restrain

3. Law. to fix or assign definitely or specifically.

limit British  

/ ˈlɪmɪt /

noun

1. (sometimes plural) the ultimate extent, degree, or amount of something

   the limit of endurance

2. (often plural) the boundary or edge of a specific area

   the city limits

3. (often plural) the area of premises within specific boundaries

4. the largest quantity or amount allowed

5. maths

   1. a value to which a function f( x ) approaches as closely as desired as the independent variable approaches a specified value ( x = a) or approaches infinity

   2. a value to which a sequence an approaches arbitrarily close as n approaches infinity

   3. the limit of a sequence of partial sums of a convergent infinite series

      the limit of 1 + ½ + ¼ + ⅛ + … is 2

6. maths one of the two specified values between which a definite integral is evaluated

7. informal a person or thing that is intolerably exasperating

8. 1. out of bounds

   2. forbidden to do or use

      smoking was off limits everywhere

9. to a certain or limited extent

   I approve of it within limits

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verb

1. to restrict or confine, as to area, extent, time, etc

2. law to agree, fix, or assign specifically

limit Scientific  

/ lĭm′ĭt /

1. A number or point for which, from a given set of numbers or points, one can choose an arbitrarily close number or point. For example, for the set of all real numbers greater than zero and less than one, the numbers one and zero are limit points, since one can pick a number from the set arbitrarily close to one or zero (even though one and zero are not themselves in the set). Limits form the basis for calculus, where a number L is defined to be the limit approached by a function f(x) as x approaches a if, for every positive number ε, there exists a number δ such that ‖ f(x)−L ‖

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limit Idioms  

1. see go whole hog (the limit); sky's the limit; the limit.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• limitableness
  noun
• limitlessness
  noun
• underlimit
  noun
• overlimit
  verb (used with object)
• relimit
  verb (used with object)
• underlimit
  verb (used with object)
• limitable
  adjective
• limitless
  adjective
• limitlessly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• limits
  plural

Participles

• limiting
  present
• limited
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• limit
  simple
• limits
  simple
• have limited
  perfect
• has limited
  perfect
• am limiting
  progressive
• are limiting
  progressive
• is limiting
  progressive
• have been limiting
  perfect progressive
• has been limiting
  perfect progressive

Past

• limited
  simple
• had limited
  perfect
• was limiting
  progressive
• were limiting
  progressive
• had been limiting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will limit
  simple
• will have limited
  perfect
• will be limiting
  progressive
• will have been limiting
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of limit

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English lymyt, from Latin līmit-, stem of līmes “boundary, path between fields”

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Explanation

A limit is a boundary, or how far something can go, or the maximum amount of something. When you reach the limit, imagine a little sign saying "the end." There's a limit to how much weight you can lift, how many words can be written in an hour, or how long someone can stay awake. Once you pass the city limits, you have left town. Sporting events have time limits. As a verb, you can limit how much chocolate your kids are allowed to eat. And if you don't feel like writing much, you'll limit your essay to just 400 words instead of 500.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

limit limits limited limiting

“We limit our greatness as a nation,” she argues, “if we think a sanitized history is of any use to anyone!”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

Although the findings come from computer simulations rather than direct observations of white dwarfs growing to these extreme masses, they offer a possible evolutionary pathway for stars that exceed the traditional Chandrasekhar limit.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026

The four-year average from 2023 to 2026 is also expected to top 1.5C, the preferred limit set in the Paris Agreement to avert the worst impacts of climate change.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026

In Delhi, levels are often at more than 25 times that limit during pollution season.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

What not to feed chickens: Avoid desserts, citrus peels, coffee grounds, moldy food, and junk food, and limit scraps to a small portion of your chickens’ meals.

From "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" by Kelly Jones

“The 1956 Suez crisis unveiled the limits of British power; history sometimes turns in strategic chokepoints,” wrote Brig.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

Monaghan attributed the day-to-day volatility to hedge funds trading with high leverage and tighter risk limits.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2026

"After nearly 30 years in public office, I have come to understand the limits of what government can justly accomplish," Newsom said.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

This limits their ability to create materials with unusual or specialized properties.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026

Youth believes it has no limits, and shows little patience.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Pork weakened due to abundant EU supplies, limited export opportunities and subdued global demand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

He’s hired a chef, he says, and Clifton’s serves a limited menu — a burger, fish tacos — on days it’s open.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

In an effort to limit pollution, India's Supreme Court on Monday permitted the manufacture, sale and use of certified "green" firecrackers in Delhi and surrounding areas for a limited period.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

Now, what once seemed limited to the realm of fiction has happened IRL too.

From Slate ● Nov. 5, 2026

Supporters assured them, however, that these partial and limited concessions only reflected the fading gasps of a dying institution.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

Rather than operating as separate responses, these processes appear to work together to help the body recognize danger while limiting unnecessary harm to healthy cells.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 5, 2026

Higher rates are meant to encourage people to spend less, reducing demand for goods and services and limiting price rises.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

However, tighter liquidity and continued competition for deposits could push up funding costs, limiting the benefits over time, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

The changes would also allow authorities to impose restrictions on designated companies, including limiting services provided by Singapore's outsized financial industry.

From Barron's ● Nov. 4, 2026

The staff noted that he was reserved and quiet and tended to keep to himself, but they commended him for limiting his interactions “so that he is not drawn into too much negativity.”

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater

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