speed limit

noun

: the maximum or minimum speed permitted by law in a given area under specified circumstances

Examples of speed limit in a Sentence

The speed limit here is 55 mph. She got a ticket for breaking the speed limit.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Chairman Alan Greenspan instead entertained the possibility that the models were wrong—that faster productivity growth had raised the economy’s speed limit—and largely resisted further rate increases. — Joao Gomes, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026 As previously reported by The News, electronic Citi Bikes are limited to a top speed of 15 mph in accordance with the city-wide e-bike speed limit. — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026 So far, in 2026, more than 4,000 Maryland drivers have been cited for driving more than 30 MPH over the speed limit. — Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026 The main straightaways will be Pennsylvania Avenue and Independence Avenue, where drivers will rev their race cars to speeds more than seven times faster than the normal speed limit of 25 mph. — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for speed limit

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of speed limit was in 1902

Rhymes for speed limit

See All Rhymes for speed limit

Browse Nearby Words

speedlight
speed limit
speed merchant
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Speed limit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speed%20limit. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

speed limit

noun
: the highest or lowest speed allowed by law in a certain area

More from Merriam-Webster on speed limit

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about speed limit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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