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Synonyms

off-limits

American  
[awf-lim-its, of-] / ˈɔfˈlɪm ɪts, ˈɒf- /

adjective

  1. forbidden to be patronized, frequented, used, etc., by certain persons.

    The tavern is off-limits to soldiers.
off limits British  

adjective

  1. not to be entered; out of bounds

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. in or into an area forbidden by regulations

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of off-limits

An Americanism dating back to 1950–55

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They are rapidly transforming the betting landscape in the US, where sports betting was largely illegal until 2018 and gambling on elections had been off-limits for years until 2024.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

They would also check and update the “no-strike list,” which names civilian targets such as schools and hospitals that are strictly off-limits.

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2026

Polymarket’s platform is off-limits to U.S. users but can be accessed by anyone with a VPN, which can disguise location.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026

But chaos erupted on Monday evening in the heart of Australia's largest city as police tried to prevent a rally from marching into an area designated off-limits.

From Barron's • Feb. 9, 2026

The bluffs were off-limits, and it was one thing to sneak up there under the cover of night, but it was another altogether to go there during the day.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.