Meaning & use
to limit
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To stop something from going beyond a particular amount, level, or point.
Grammar: Takes a direct object: limit spending, limit the number of visitors.
Patterns
- limit something
- limit something to something
- limit yourself to something
The city decided to limit the number of cars allowed downtown.
Please limit your comments to two minutes each.
We try to limit screen time for our children to one hour a day.
verbtransitive
To keep someone or something within a controlled area or set of choices, often by rules or physical boundaries.
Grammar: Often used with 'to': limit someone to a particular place or role.
Patterns
- limit someone to something
- limit something to something
The new rules limit visitors to the front garden only.
The coach limits each player to ten minutes on the field.
Word forms
| third person singular | limits |
|---|---|
| past tense | limited |
| past participle | limited |
| -ing form | limiting |
Common combinations
- limit the number of
- They want to limit the number of students in each class.
- limit access to
- The library limits access to rare books.
- limit yourself to
- I limit myself to one cup of coffee a day.
- limit spending
- The government plans to limit spending on roads.
Synonyms and how they differ
- restrict
- Restrict is more formal and often suggests official rules; limit is more general and can be used for personal choices.
- cap
- Cap is informal and means to set a maximum amount, often for money or numbers; limit is broader.
- confine
- Confine means to keep within physical boundaries; limit can also refer to amounts or abstract things.
Opposites
Word family
- limit noun
- The greatest amount or point allowed.
- limited adjective
- Restricted in size, amount, or extent.
- limitation noun
- A rule or condition that restricts something.
- limitless adjective
- Without any limit; endless.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
The verb 'limit' takes a direct object (the students) and then 'to' before the allowed amount. Only option 2 follows this pattern correctly; the others misplace the object or omit 'to'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to limit”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.