Ceiling — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈsē-liŋ/ ceil·ing

Meaning & Definition of Ceiling

Ceiling (noun)

  1. the overhead inside lining of a room
  2. material used to ceil a wall or roof of a room
  3. something thought of as an overhanging shelter or a lofty canopy

Ceiling (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a real or imaginary point beyond which a person or thing cannot go

    "there's a ceiling on prices"

    similar: bound, boundary, cap, confines, end, extent, limit, limitation, line, termination
    related: extremity, fag end, terminus, border, brim, edge, margin, rim, verge, outside, bar, barrier, fence, hedge, restraint, stop, wall

  2. a raised covering over something for decoration or protection

    "we sat around the campfire under a ceiling of stars"

    similar: awning, canopy, cover, roof, tent
    related: dome, marquee, pavilion, arbor, bower, pergola, screen, shade, shelter, shield, sunshade, umbrella, canvas, fly

Related Entry: Hit the ceiling (phrase)

Hit the ceiling is a different word from Ceiling. The synonyms below are for hit the ceiling, not for ceiling.

  1. to become very angry

    "The sellers hit the ceiling when they heard the low offer on the house."

    similar: blow up, flare (up), flip (out) (slang), blow a gasket, blow one's cool, blow one's stack, blow one's top, fly into a rage, fly off the handle, forget oneself, go ballistic, have a fit, hit the roof, lose one's cool, lose one's temper
    related: anger, fulminate, rage, rant, rave, snap, snarl, sputter, storm, tee off, vent, vituperate, bristle, burn, foam, fume, glare, glower, seethe, sizzle, smolder, steam, warm, burst, explode, flare (out), flash, inflame, madden
    opposite: calm (down), simmer down
    near: chill out (slang), cool (off or down), relax, hush, quiet (down)

Related Entry: Hits the ceiling (phrase)

Hits the ceiling is a different word from Ceiling. The synonyms below are for hits the ceiling, not for ceiling.

  1. to become very angry

    "The sellers hit the ceiling when they heard the low offer on the house."

    similar: blows up, flares (up), flips (out) (slang), blows a gasket, blows one's cool, blows one's stack, blows one's top, flies into a rage, flies off the handle, forgets oneself, goes ballistic, has a fit, hits the roof, loses one's cool, loses one's temper
    related: angers, fulminates, rages, rants, raves, snaps, snarls, sputters, storms, tees off, vents, vituperates, bristles, burns, foams, fumes, glares, glowers, seethes, sizzles, smolders, steams, warms, bursts, explodes, flares (out), flashes, inflames, maddens
    opposite: calms (down), simmers down
    near: chills out (slang), cools (off or down), relaxes, hushes, quiets (down)

Related Entry: Hitting the ceiling (phrase)

Hitting the ceiling is a different word from Ceiling. The synonyms below are for hitting the ceiling, not for ceiling.

  1. to become very angry

    "The sellers hit the ceiling when they heard the low offer on the house."

    similar: blowing up, flaring (up), flipping (out) (slang), blowing a gasket, blowing one's cool, blowing one's stack, blowing one's top, flying into a rage, flying off the handle, forgetting oneself, going ballistic, having a fit, hitting the roof, losing one's cool, losing one's temper
    related: angering, fulminating, raging, ranting, raving, snapping, snarling, sputtering, storming, teeing off, venting, vituperating, bristling, burning, foaming, fuming, glaring, glowering, seething, sizzling, smoldering, steaming, warming, bursting, exploding, flaring (out), flashing, inflaming, maddening
    opposite: calming (down), simmering down
    near: chilling out (slang), cooling (off or down), relaxing, hushing, quieting (down)

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Ceiling

The most common words with a similar meaning to Ceiling:

bound, boundary, cap, confines, end, extent, limit, limitation, line, termination, awning, canopy, cover, roof, tent

Related Words for Ceiling

extremity, fag end, terminus, border, brim, edge, margin, rim, verge, outside, bar, barrier, fence, hedge, restraint, stop, wall, dome, marquee, pavilion, arbor, bower, pergola, screen, shade, shelter, shield, sunshade, umbrella, canvas

Word Forms of Ceiling

Derived words: ceilinged (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Ceiling

Middle English celing, from celen

First known use: 1535

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Ceiling

Words & Phrases Containing Ceiling

absolute ceiling, glass ceiling, service ceiling, cathedral ceiling, go through the ceiling, subceiling

Frequently Asked Questions about Ceiling

What does "Ceiling" mean?

"Ceiling" means the overhead inside lining of a room. As a noun, it is defined as: the overhead inside lining of a room. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Ceiling"?

Other words for "Ceiling" include bound, boundary, cap, confines, end, extent, limit and limitation. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Ceiling" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Ceiling"?

There are 46 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Ceiling". Common alternatives include bound, boundary, cap, confines, end, extent, limit, limitation, line and termination.

How do you use "Ceiling" in a sentence?

Examples of "Ceiling" in a sentence: "there's a ceiling on prices"; "we sat around the campfire under a ceiling of stars".

Is "Ceiling" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Ceiling" is a noun.

Is "Ceiling" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Ceiling" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Ceiling"?

"Ceiling" is pronounced /ˈsē-liŋ/ and divided into syllables as ceil·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Ceiling"?

"Ceiling" comes from Middle English celing, from celen. First known use: 1535.