limitation

American  

[lim-i-tay-shuhn] / ˌlɪm ɪˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

• limitations
  plural

1. a limiting condition; restrictive weakness; lack of capacity; inability or handicap.

   He knows his limitations as a writer.

2. something that limits; a limit or bound; restriction.

   an arms limitation; a limitation on imports.

3. the act of limiting.

4. the state of being limited.

5. Law. the assignment, as by statute, of a period of time within which an action must be brought, or the period of time assigned.

   a statute of limitations.

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limitation British  

/ ˌlɪmɪˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. something that limits a quality or achievement

2. the act of limiting or the condition of being limited

3. law a certain period of time, legally defined, within which an action, claim, etc, must be commenced

4. property law a restriction upon the duration or extent of an estate

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonlimitation
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• limitations
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of limitation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English lymytacion, from Latin līmitātiōn-, stem of līmitātiō “determination, enclosure within boundaries,” from līmitāt(us) “bounded, enclosed” (past participle of līmitāre “to bound, enclose within boundaries”; see limit) + -iō -ion

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Explanation

A limitation is something that holds you back, like a broken leg that keeps you off the dance floor during prom season. A limitation could also be a rule that restricts what you can do, like needing to be a certain height to ride a roller coaster at an amusement park. It can also be a circumstance that hampers you, like a dead car that keeps you from traveling very far from home. The noun limitation comes up a lot in the law, especially in the phrase "statute of limitations," which dictates how long after a crime someone can be prosecuted for committing it.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

limitation limitations

Challenged over whether her apology could be seen as an effort at damage limitation, or too late, she said that she hadn't expected so much exposure from the incident.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

One major limitation was that the researchers could not measure the spiders' brain activity.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 27, 2026

It was damage limitation for England, while the hosts could show off.

From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2026

An updated hurricane forecast map is making it easier for people to identify areas threatened by storms, but new research reveals a concerning limitation.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 20, 2026

A related limitation is that few people ever learned to write these early scripts.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

By expanding the program again, Newsom said he wants to address some of California’s limitations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2026

The limitations are frustrating, Chavez Camacho said, especially “si una persona no sabe leer” — if a person can’t read.

From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2026

The report authors say there are limitations to the data with both boards at the end of the range serving small island populations, where a few prescriptions can make a big difference to prescribing rates.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

The department filed a long court brief defending its tactics, saying a law defining the statute of limitations for most felony crimes allows prosecutors to initiate a case by criminal information.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

It was a proposal to extend the statute of limitations on environmental crimes.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

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