Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
mortal limitation

mortal limitation

7.9
Things people cannot do because they can die
  • noun
translation icon : limitación mortal
  • She was painfully aware of her mortal limitations as she watched others surpass her in strength and endurance.

Examples

  • Despite our mortal limitations, we continue to seek knowledge and meaning in life.

  • Everyone faces a mortal limitation at some point in life.

  • The hero struggled bravely against his mortal limitations in pursuit of the impossible dream.

  • The mortal limitations of humans are often overlooked.

  • Despite her incredible talents, she still faced the mortal limitation of exhaustion after several hours of work.

  • His fear of failure was a mortal limitation that kept him from pursuing his dreams.

  • The athlete pushed herself to the limit, aware that every human has a mortal limitation.

Synonyms

mortality
vsmortal limitation
63 5.7

The fact that living things must die

focuses on human natural limits and weaknesses that come from that condition
debt of nature
vsmortal limitation
  • Archaic
9.9

A certain fact that every living person must die

describes human natural limits and weaknesses rather than a fated obligation

Antonyms

strength
∞ 1.2

Physical or mental power a person has to act

How Divine

goddess
280 4.4
demigoddess
  • Literature
8.7
heroine
34 3.0
mortal limitation
7.9

Surface Forms

mortal limitation singular
mortal limitations plural

Morphology

mortal + limitation

The noun phrase is a straightforward composition of 'mortal' (liable to die) and 'limitation' (constraint), so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to constraints or weaknesses that come from human mortality. This adjective + noun pattern is compositional and cross-linguistically common, making the overall meaning predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Mortal limitation comes from the clear picture of humans as mortal, meaning 'able to die', with natural limitations, like a candle that will burn out or an athlete who grows tired. So, mortal limitation means the natural 'limits' or 'weaknesses' people have because they can be hurt, get tired, or die.