2 syllables: lim, its. Stress on lim.
LIM-uhts
/ˈlɪməts/
limits is pronounced LIM-uhts (/ˈlɪməts/). It has two syllables (lim-its), with the stress on "lim". Limits refers to the boundaries or extents beyond which something cannot or should not proceed. It can describe mathematical constraints, physical borders, or figurative caps in rules or behavior. The term often implies a limit that defines safe, permissible, or possible degrees or quantities in a given context.
Limits refers to the boundaries or extents beyond which something cannot or should not proceed. It can describe mathematical constraints, physical borders, or figurative caps in rules or behavior. The term often implies a limit that defines safe, permissible, or possible degrees or quantities in a given context.
- You often mispronounce the final cluster by turning /t/ into a weak touch and not releasing into /s/. To fix: practice a brief alveolar stop release into the /s/, almost like saying /t͡s/ in one smooth motion. - You may merge the two syllables into a single quick syllable, making it sound like /lɪmts/ or /lɪmɪts/ with reduced second vowel. Practice with a rhythm drill: stressed first syllable, very brief second vowel. - You might vocalize the /ɪ/ in the second syllable too long, causing a carryover into the final /t/. Keep the second vowel short and crisp, ending with /t/ then /s/. - In rapid speech, you could lose the alveolar contact for /l/ or soften /l/ into a vowel. Focus on a clear initial /l/ with the tongue lightly touching the alveolar ridge and then lift for the /m/ and /t/.
"Her patience has reached its limits during the long negotiations."
"The speed limit on this road is 55 miles per hour."
"We pushed the system to its limits to test its reliability."
Say LIM-its with two distinct syllables. The first syllable uses a short, lax /ɪ/ as in ship, and the second syllable ends with a voiceless /ts/ cluster. IPA: /ˈlɪmɪts/. Place tip of the tongue near the alveolar ridge for /l/ and /t͡s/, with a quick, light release. Ensure the vowel in the second syllable is unstressed and shorter than the first. For clarity, avoid turning the /m/ into a nasal blend with the following /ɪ/—keep each syllable clean.
Common errors include: 1) swallowing the final /t/ and turning it into a de-emphasized /s/ or silent end. 2) Slurring into a single syllable by merging /m/ and the following /ɪ/. 3) Weakening the final /t/ into a voice-year /s/ or a soft /t/ release. Correction: clearly articulate /t/ with a brief alveolar stop release, then barely voice the final /s/. Practice ending with a crisp /ts/ cluster, not a stop-only /t/ or /s/.
In US/UK, the initial /l/ is light and fluent; the primary stress is on the first syllable /ˈlɪmɪts/. AU speakers typically retain the two-syllable rhythm, with a slightly more centralized vowel in the second /ɪ/. Rhoticity does not change the word’s segmental structure, but some Australian speakers may have a slightly tighter /ɪ/ in the first vowel and a brisker final release. Overall, the /ˈlɪmɪts/ pattern remains stable across accents, with minor vowel quality shifts.
The difficulty centers on the final consonant cluster /ts/. Many learners struggle to release both the /t/ and the /s/ clearly in quick speech, or they insert extra vowel sounds, muting the final cluster. The sequence /mɪts/ also requires keeping the second syllable’s /ɪ/ distinct from the first. Practicing the two-segment finale with a quick, crisp alveolar stop followed by an unvoiced /s/ helps avoid a slurred or swallowed ending.
A key nuance is the two-syllable division and the potential for vowel reduction in rapid speech. In highly fluent speech, you may hear a slight reduction of the second syllable’s vowel, yielding /ˈlɪmɪts/ with a quick, clipped end. Keeping the stress crisp and the /t/ release clear helps maintain intelligibility in fast technical talk (e.g., math or policy limits).
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- US: Maintain rhotic-like but calm /ɹ/ is not involved here; focus on crisp /l/ and quick /t/ release before /s/. Vowel /ɪ/ in both syllables tends to be lax; keep it short and focused. IPA: /ˈlɪmɪts/. - UK: Similar two-syllable, with slightly tighter jaw and shorter vowel length; ensure final /t/ is a crisp alveolar stop followed by /s/. IPA: /ˈlɪmɪts/. - AU: Slightly more centralized /ɪ/ in the first and second syllables; keep the final cluster sharp, avoid extra vowel in final /ts/. IPA: /ˈlɪmɪts/. - General tip: practice with aspirated /t/ only briefly; aim for a clean release into /s/ to produce a crisp allee of the cluster. Use minimal pair drills: /lɪmɪts/ vs /lɪmɪt/ to feel the final /s/.
Limits comes from the Latin limit- meaning boundary, end, or border, from lim-, limes ‘threshold, boundary’ and the suffix -is in the sense of a noun form. The term entered Middle English through Old French as limite and Latin influences shaped its use in mathematics, law, and everyday language. The core sense began as a boundary idea—an edge beyond which something cannot pass or may not be extended—before expanding to abstract uses such as legal limits, physical limits, and mathematical limits. Early English texts blend physical boundary senses with abstract caps, often in contexts like “limits of a field” or “limits of a policy.” By the 16th-17th centuries, the mathematical sense of a limit became common in Europe, paralleling the development of calculus, where a value approached by a sequence defines the limit. Over centuries, “limit” broadened to cover thresholds in capability, performance, and permission, while retaining its connotation of a defined edge or boundary that signals when a rule or condition no longer applies. Modern usage keeps this dual character: a concrete boundary (speed limit) and an abstract cap (limits of tolerance). First known use in English appears in the late medieval period, with the term evolving through legal and mathematical documentations in the early modern era.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "limits" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "limits" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "limits"
-its sounds
-(s) sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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