# limitation

/ˌɫɪmɪˈteɪʃən/ (US) · /lˌɪmɪtˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/limitation
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a restriction or boundary

noun · CEFR B2

a rule or situation that limits what you can do or how far you can go.

For teachers: a limiting rule or circumstance that restricts scope or freedom of action.

- The new law puts a strict limitation on how much noise factories can make.
- The budget imposes a severe limitation on the scope of the research project, forcing the team to focus only on local data.

### 2. a shortcoming or weakness

noun · CEFR B2

a weakness or a lack of ability that stops someone or something from being better.

For teachers: a failing or lack of capacity which prevents a person or thing from achieving a higher standard.

- He is a great writer, but he knows his limitations when it comes to poetry.
- The software is powerful, yet users must be aware of its technical limitations when processing extremely large datasets.

### 3. legal time limit

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Formal

a fixed period of time during which you are allowed to start a legal case.

For teachers: a legally prescribed period after which a right cannot be enforced or a crime cannot be prosecuted.

- The case was dropped because the legal limitation for the crime had passed.
- The defence argued that the statute of limitations had expired, rendering the plaintiff's claim for damages legally void.

Usage: often used in the phrase 'statute of limitations'

## Examples

- The small budget is a major limitation for our project.
- The athlete had to retire early because of the physical limitations caused by a knee injury.
- The statute of limitations prevents the prosecution from bringing charges for certain crimes after a specific number of years have passed since the incident.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.