1
a
: the overhead inside lining of a room
The room has a high ceiling.
b
: material used to ceil a wall or roof of a room
2
: something thought of as an overhanging shelter or a lofty canopy
a ceiling of stars
3
a
: the height above the ground from which prominent objects on the ground can be seen and identified
b
: the height above the ground of the base of the lowest layer of clouds when over half of the sky is obscured
4
a
b
5
: an upper usually prescribed limit
a ceiling on prices, rents, and wages
Synonyms
Examples of ceiling in a Sentence
The house has low ceilings.
The airplane has a ceiling of 32,000 feet.
Recent Examples on the Web
Democrats have won most of the big statewide races, and the Republican ceiling in these races has been barely over 50% of the vote.
—
Craig Gilbert, Journal Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024
Chandeliers formed from golden twigs hang from vaulted ceilings embossed with Arabic designs in relief whilst turquoise sofas are set into alcoves surrounded by arches.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Looking up, the ceiling is covered in light-up stars in the configuration of the sky over the Furka Pass on July 11, 1964 – the day shooting of the film ended in the Swiss Alps.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 30 Oct. 2024
Essentially, Yu is saying the hardware sets the bar for the floor — the absolute baseline quality of an image — while the software raises the ceiling and allows the image to perform at or even above the hardware’s capabilities.
—Ben Sin, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ceiling 
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.
Craig Gilbert, Journal Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024
Chandeliers formed from golden twigs hang from vaulted ceilings embossed with Arabic designs in relief whilst turquoise sofas are set into alcoves surrounded by arches.
—Caroline Reid, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Looking up, the ceiling is covered in light-up stars in the configuration of the sky over the Furka Pass on July 11, 1964 – the day shooting of the film ended in the Swiss Alps.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 30 Oct. 2024
Essentially, Yu is saying the hardware sets the bar for the floor — the absolute baseline quality of an image — while the software raises the ceiling and allows the image to perform at or even above the hardware’s capabilities.
—Ben Sin, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ceiling
Dictionary Entries Near ceiling
Cite this Entry
“Ceiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ceiling. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ceiling
noun
ceil·ing
ˈsē-liŋ 
1
: the overhead inside lining of a room
2
: something that hangs over or is above
3
: the height above the ground of the base of the lowest layer of clouds when over half of the sky is hidden by clouds
4
: the greatest height at which an airplane can operate efficiently
5
: an upper usually prescribed limit
a ceiling on prices
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share