limitations

noun

plural of limitation
1
as in limits
a real or imaginary point beyond which a person or thing cannot go the bridge has a weight limitation that bars heavy trucks from crossing it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in restrictions
something that limits one's freedom of action or choice the state has some fairly strict limitations on the sale and use of alcoholic beverages

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in constraints
the act or practice of keeping something (as an activity) within certain boundaries the limitation on the number of vehicles allowed on the island does not sit well with year-round residents

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of limitations None of it feels remotely tied to the zeitgeist, instead showing an artist galvanized by their own out-there proclivities and exhilarated by the limitations of whatever ramshackle gear might be lying around a home studio. — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026 Ukraine’s Armed Forces learned about the Starshield terminals’ speed limitations from SpaceX customer support after filing a complaint about operational issues, and SpaceX provided no prior warning, according to the source. — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 Even when the metaphor is painfully on the nose, the film’s most disturbing images are more than their dramatic limitations and a whale is still an astonishing place to spend a movie. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026 The researchers also highlight how the work shows some limitations of the tools. — ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026 The new definition, developed by an international panel of medical experts convened by the medical journal The Lancet, requires evidence of both excess body fat and related health problems or limitations in daily activities. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 The new measurements help researchers distinguish between limitations inherent to a material and those caused by synthesis or processing. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026 There were limitations to the study, including the small group of volunteers, which consisted of more women than men, and a lack of variation in dog breeds, Li said. — Gina Vivinetto, NBC news, 7 Oct. 2026 That said, even the most detailed traceability records have their limitations. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for limitations
  1. limits
  2. restrictions
  3. boundaries
  4. constraints
Noun
  • Whether lawmakers accept those limits will help determine how much authority the federal government gains over advanced AI systems.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • France, unlike the United States, places strict limits on campaign spending, but money still shapes the broader political ecosystem.
    — Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of limits
Noun
  • The restrictions emerged just days after Trump admonished Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the press, calling on the leader to step down and hold wartime elections.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Officials say the deployment targets trafficking and cartel activity, but critics note crossings fell after asylum restrictions and much drug smuggling occurs through ports of entry.
    — ben Finley, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of restrictions
Noun
  • In the meantime, the boundaries between art-making and performance were breaking down.
    — Leslie Camhi, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Much of the theory also stems from Belbruno's work on permanent capture into the solar system and weak stability boundaries published in 2024 in the journal Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy.
    — Leonard David, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of boundaries
Noun
  • Both have built much of their appeal on opposition to the political establishment, the promise to wish away budget constraints, and deep hostility toward the European Union.
    — Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The International Energy Agency has warned that constraints on the diesel market will likely keep prices elevated into the next year.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of constraints

Browse Nearby Words

limitation
limitations
limited
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Cite this Entry

“Limitations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/limitations. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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