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
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
Could the ability for a designer to test a new brand identity’s legibility, readability and visual appeal for themselves quickly and at a low cost raise the ceiling and boost their self-efficacy in bringing their ideas to life?
—
Neeraj Gulati, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
From the darkened facade to the seven-meter-tall ceilings to the cobblestones that cover Mercer Street, every detail sits at the periphery of both modernity and an unreachable bygone era, much like the label itself.
—Brett Braley, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2025
His dad’s artwork hung between Aparicio’s colossal rubber castings dangling from the ceiling, embodying residual markings.
—Sarah Quiñones Wolfson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Part of the thrill of the staging is the use of screens, which drop down from the ceiling to display Snook as different characters that interact with one another and with the real-life Snook.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ceiling
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Neeraj Gulati, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
From the darkened facade to the seven-meter-tall ceilings to the cobblestones that cover Mercer Street, every detail sits at the periphery of both modernity and an unreachable bygone era, much like the label itself.
—Brett Braley, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2025
His dad’s artwork hung between Aparicio’s colossal rubber castings dangling from the ceiling, embodying residual markings.
—Sarah Quiñones Wolfson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2025
Part of the thrill of the staging is the use of screens, which drop down from the ceiling to display Snook as different characters that interact with one another and with the real-life Snook.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ceiling
Cite this Entry
“Ceiling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ceiling. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
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
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