off-limits
Americanadjective
adjective
adverb
Etymology
Origin of off-limits
An Americanism dating back to 1950–55
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“When money feels like an off-limits topic to kids, they might fill in the gaps themselves, and not always accurately.”
From MarketWatch • Apr. 4, 2026
Natural England says that in many places, new rights of access have opened land that was previously off-limits to the public - including beaches, dunes and cliff-tops between the path and the sea.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026
They would also check and update the “no-strike list,” which names civilian targets such as schools and hospitals that are strictly off-limits.
From Salon • Mar. 11, 2026
No matter how exclusive the party, there’s always a pecking order, and the coolest people—the actors—hang out in a room that’s off-limits.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026
“It’s completely off-limits to, um, humans. Perhaps you would prefer dining in the basement. You’ll find sandwich machines there.”
From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
