Showing results for "limited"

• past participle of limit.
• past tense form of limit.

limited

American  

[lim-i-tid] / ˈlɪm ɪ tɪd /

adjective

1. confined within limits; restricted or circumscribed.

   a limited space; limited resources.

2. Government. restricted with reference to governing powers by limitations prescribed in laws and in a constitution, as in

3. characterized by an inability to think imaginatively or independently; lacking originality or scope; narrow.

   a rather limited intelligence.

4. Chiefly British.

   1. responsible for the debts of a company only to a specified amount proportionate to the percentage of stock held.

   2. (of a business firm) owned by stockholders, each having a restricted liability for the company's debts.

   3. (usually initial capital letter) incorporated; Inc. Ltd.

5. (of railroad trains, buses, etc.) making only a limited number of stops en route.

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noun

1. a limited train, bus, etc.

limited British  

/ ˈlɪmɪtɪd /

adjective

1. having a limit; restricted; confined

2. without fullness or scope; narrow

3. (of governing powers, sovereignty, etc) restricted or checked, by or as if by a constitution, laws, or an assembly

   limited government

4. (of a train) stopping only at certain stations and having only a set number of cars for passengers

5. (of a business enterprise) owned by shareholders whose liability for the enterprise's debts is restricted

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noun

1. a limited train, bus, etc

Other Word Forms

• limitedness
  noun
• limitedly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of limited

First recorded in 1545–55; limit + -ed ²

Explanation

If your gift certificate is only good for a limited amount of time, you have a specific number of days in which you can use it. Limited means short, small, or restricted by specific rules. When a rock concert has a limited number of seats, you may not be able to count on sitting down for the show. Likewise, it's tricky to open a business in a city with a limited amount of retail space. The adjective limited, which comes from the verb limit, was originally used to describe certain train routes — a limited was a term for an express train the late 1800's.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

limited

One opposition lawmaker on Wednesday said Fedorov had rocked the establishment but predicted that his statement would likely have a limited effect politically since parliament had approved Zelensky’s defense minister and didn’t want further turbulence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

The indie drama also stars Jake Johnson, is directed by Joe Swanberg and opens in limited release Aug. 28 before going wide Sept. 4.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

For example, in Missouri — where abortion access is highly restrictive with limited exceptions for medical emergencies— the number of medication abortions has quadrupled since 2023.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026

In the UK, from September uniforms are being limited to three items with a school logo, saving parents an estimated £50 per child.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

While each instrument is limited in range to fewer than two octaves, all together, from bass bars to soprano glockenspiel, the ensemble covers six octaves, creating an entire orchestra!

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Related Words

• diminished
• insufficient
• minimal
• narrow
• poor
• reduced
• restricted
• small