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✋ To restrict 🛑 Boundary or edge 🚫 Maximum allowed ➗ Approaching value
to limit

to limit

∞ 2.1
To control how much or how often something happens
  • verb
  • /ˈlɪmɪt/
translation icon : limitar
  • The new policy will limit the amount of time students can spend on social media during school hours.
  • limit access
  • limit growth
  • limit the number

Well, if I can just limit it to one word, create.

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Examples

  • Most of our understanding of this period has been limited to just a few written sources.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Each side tried to win friends and limit the other's influence.

  • Then this would limit the number of states.

  • I feel like these things limit everything.

  • So it's not going to limit itself to our current technology.

  • Parking in this area is limited to three minutes.

    The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)

  • My experience of such things is limited.

    Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

  • Student comments related to research were limited to receiving assistance with finding books and other resources.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The savvy travel writer does not limit the search for markets to the obvious.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Thus, Texas Mutual has good reason to limit payouts as much as it can.

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

to contain
vsto limit
388 3.5

To keep something dangerous from spreading or getting worse

focuses on general restriction of size, amount, or extent
to restrict
vsto limit
361 3.1

Limit how much people can use or access something

is the wide idea of putting boundaries on size or extent
to confine
vsto limit
215 4.2

Keep someone or something within limits, for example in a small space

is a general action of controlling size, amount, or extent
to determine
vsto limit
144 3.3

To fix the exact edge of land or property

is more general, including many ways to control or restrict
to confine to
vsto limit
106 4.8

To keep something within set limits, for example in a room or a topic

is broader, covering many kinds of control or limits
to check
vsto limit
104 3.7

Stop something from growing or spreading

is broader, including defining limits as well as holding back
to curb
vsto limit
73 3.5

To limit or control something to stop it getting worse

is a wider concept of placing limits on amount or extent
to constrain
vsto limit
64 5.6

To limit what someone can do or how they can act

is broader, applying to many ways of setting boundaries
to cap
vsto limit
57 4.1

To limit the number or amount to a maximum

is the general idea of limiting size, amount, or extent
to ration
vsto limit
34 5.1

To limit how much food or supplies each person gets when there is not enough

is broader, meaning to set boundaries or control amounts generally
to hold down
vsto limit
22 3.2

To keep something low and stop it from getting bigger

is the overall act of setting limits on amount or extent
to clamp down on
vsto limit
13 5.3

Take strong action to stop something bad or illegal

is broader, meaning routine control or setting of limits
to bound
vsto limit
11 5.3

To form the edge or limit of an area

is more general, covering many forms of control or restriction
to draw a line
vsto limit
8 3.8

Set a clear limit on what is acceptable

is broader, applying to amount, size, or general access control
to circumscribe
vsto limit
  • Formal
6 8.1

To keep something within certain limits

is more general, including simple control without strict boundaries
to throttle
vsto limit
5 7.5

To reduce or control how much of something is allowed

is more general, covering many kinds of limitation
to delimit
vsto limit
  • Formal
1 7.0

To mark the edges of an area or idea

is broader, including control beyond just marking edges
to trammel
vsto limit
  • Formal
1 9.9

To limit someone's freedom or ability to act

is more general, focused on limiting size, amount, or extent
to delimitate
vsto limit
  • Formal
8.7

Set or mark the limits of an area like a project

is the general act of limiting rather than only drawing edges
to set a clear boundary
vsto limit
4.1

To make a clear line between two areas or kinds of activity

is the overall practice of controlling size, amount, or extent

Antonyms

to allow
∞ 1.0

To let something happen or let someone do something

to expand
805 2.5

To grow larger in size, amount, or importance

Idioms

to the limit
24 3.9

Do something as fully as possible

to push it to the limit
  • Informal
1 7.2

Use all your energy and take big risks to test your skill

the sky's the limit
1 5.1

Nothing limits what someone can achieve

Phrasal Verbs

to push to the limit
7 5.1

Make a person or thing work as hard as possible until they cannot keep going

to limit yourself to
4 3.8

To choose only one thing or a few things

Compounds

speed limit
60 1.0

The fastest speed cars are allowed to drive on a road

time limit
35 2.7

A set time by which you must finish something

debt limit
  • Formal
18 3.9

The maximum amount a government can borrow by law

age limit
10 3.0

A rule that sets the youngest or oldest age allowed to do something

upper limit
7 3.2

The highest allowed amount or value of something

lower limit
  • Specialized
1 3.5

The smallest amount or value that is allowed

giddy limit
  • Informal
1 9.9

A very strong feeling of excitement or dizziness

three-mile limit
  • Archaic
1 7.5

A line three miles from a country's coast that marks the sea it controls

city limit
  • US
2.8

The line that shows where a city or town ends

limit point
  • Specialized
9.8

A value that a function gets closer to as the input goes to a point or to infinity

limit of liability
  • Formal
5.6

The most money an insurance company will pay for a covered claim

stop-limit order
  • Specialized
8.4

An instruction that starts when a set price is reached and then trades only at a set price or better

How Restricted

to ban
  • Formal
484 1.4
to confine
215 4.2
to limit
∞ 2.1
to restrict
361 3.1
to cap
57 4.1

Surface Forms

limit infinitive
limited past
limited past participle
limiting present participle
limits third person singular

Etymology

Limit comes from the Latin limes, which means 'boundary'. To limit something is to draw a line around it — to control or restrict how big or how much it can be.