off-limits

adjective

off-lim·​its ˈȯf-ˈli-məts 

: not to be entered or patronized by a designated class (such as military personnel)

also : not to be interfered with, considered, or spoken of

the subject of sex was off-limits in her family

Examples of off-limits in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Blue ties and orange slashes of spray paint designate some trees as off-limits, but everything else is fair game to the loggers, whose work will help federal, state and local agencies protect the forests and residents of Flagstaff from fire and floods. —Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 14 June 2024

Over 800 square miles of land are in area parks, totally off-limits to development, and vast additional areas are zoned for agricultural uses with homes limited to about one per acre. —Marc Joffe, The Mercury News, 11 June 2024

Even the sky isn’t off-limits — a plane overhead pulls a massive banner, urging those below to call now and rent the precious airborne signage. —Holly V. Hays, The Indianapolis Star, 30 May 2024

Areas within 3 km of the plant are still off-limits. —Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 31 Oct. 2011

Word History

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

off-limits

adjective

ˈȯ-ˈflim-əts

1

: not to be entered or used by a certain group of people

2

: not to be discussed or considered

questions about my salary are off-limits