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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
Low-speed vehicles are allowed to operate on highways where the speed limit is 35 mph or lower, according to the South Carolina Legislature.
—Devon M. Sayers, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024
According to a criminal complaint: Two Milwaukee police officers attempted to stop an Acura in the 2500 block of West Burleigh Street on Sunday after previously spotting the Acura driving over the speed limit.
—Drake Bentley, Journal Sentinel, 1 Mar. 2024
Much of the drive undoubtedly presented challenges for the big ZR2, though, especially in the high country of Utah where speed limits rise to 80 mph and traffic typically cruises nearer to 90 mph.
—Michael Van Runkle, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
The defense argued the fire engine driver was driving 25 mph over the speed limit and failed to slow down for a red light at the bottom of a hill.
—Keith L. Alexander, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024
They were struck by two cars that were street racing at nearly 40 mph over the speed limit.
—Kris Van Cleave, CBS News, 20 Feb. 2024
Bologna City Hall responded to the directive by noting in a statement that its speed limits were in line with existing national legislation.
—Elisabetta Povoledo, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2024
Further, boosting the ALKS speed limit from just under 40 mph to 80 mph seriously impacts how much distance a car needs to stop when traveling at highway speeds.
—Leaf Jiang, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Related Articles The company said in its expansion proposal that the DMV has approved its robotaxis for use day and night on freeways and highways with speed limits up to 65 miles per hour, along with city streets, rural roads, other roadways and parking lots.
—Ethan Baron, The Mercury News, 21 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'speed limit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1902, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near speed limit
Cite this Entry
“Speed limit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speed%20limit. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Kids Definition
speed limit
noun
: the highest or lowest speed allowed by law in a certain area
More from Merriam-Webster on speed limit
Nglish: Translation of speed limit for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about speed limit
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