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

Etymology

Origin of limit

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

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

When Helmut Kohl pushed for France and the U.K. to bless reunification, he offered to limit the country’s military.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

The spokesperson said that "strict rules to limit subletting... prevent the risk of people profiting by letting subsidised affordable housing".

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

The wreckage is settled in an area about 130 feet deep, just past the limit to which humans can safely dive, police told The Times.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

The rising cost of repairing damage, particularly for older buildings, is also driving some insurers to drop or limit coverage.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

Now, instead of thinking of the race as a sum of infinite parts, think of it as a limit of finite sub-races.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

I think it would be interesting for somebody to look at the state of the city before term limits and after term limits.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026

"Our search for the molybdenum was technically extremely challenging and required the experts at the synchrotron to push their instrument to its absolute limits," says Wagner.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

In “Fjord,” Mungiu tests neutrality’s limits when the stakes are at their highest.

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026

In late August, regulators imposed new limits on funds’ investments in related parties and overall portfolio concentration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

There was good reason to try to keep calm, and they knew the limits of their science.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Coplan wanted any potential friction for users gone, even though the app was still in beta testing and had launched to only a limited number of users.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026

Those steps become much harder when laboratory resources are limited.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

At the same time, developers say building new homes is becoming more expensive, adding to pressure on London's already limited housing supply.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

Neil Saunders, a retail analyst at GlobalData, said the toys and other gear offered by restaurants particularly appeal to that market given that they often arrive in the form of limited drops.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 19, 2026

I knew guns were for taking lives, but in my mind, that was limited to small critters we needed to eat.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

He advised limiting exposure to alarmist content, discussing any concerns with trusted friends or family and seeking help from a GP if anxiety begins to affect daily life, wellbeing or relationships.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

That said, Goodman said that for people with more limited savings, if they have to spend down principal in order to delay, that might be limiting.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026

The digital divide can also pose a real threat, leaving older people vulnerable to high-tech crimes such as online scams or limiting their access to medical services, experts say.

From Barron's ● Sep. 14, 2026

It is unclear whether receiver Landon Ellis will be able to play because of a head injury suffered against Cal, potentially limiting the Bruins’ receiving options.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 12, 2026

That's really the limiting factor to life support.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Related Words

• bar
• curb
• define
• hinder
• inhibit
• lessen
• narrow
• reduce
• set
• specify