An Americanism dating back to 1950–55
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hampshire Police said it had deployed marine units to aid in the search, and that the site was off limits, with people advised to avoid the area.
From BBC • Jun. 24, 2026
But the nuclear site had been off limits until Sunday.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
Lawmakers in three states are considering bills to make it harder for buyout firms and other corporate investors to buy law practices, a burgeoning investment strategy that was long off limits for private equity.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
Not that extremist positions should be off limits, but they ought to be more rigorously addressed.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026
Because the hospital cells were off limits to the general population, we had a number of traveling prisoners stay with us.
From "Hole in My Life" by Jack Gantos
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.
