Curfew: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to indicate a specific time by which people must be indoors, often for safety or public order reasons. Commonly applied in emergency situations or for minors.

• The city imposed a curfew starting at 10 PM to control the unrest.
• All teenagers have a curfew of 9 PM on school nights.

A general term for any rule or condition that limits what you can do. It can apply to various domains like movement, behavior, or access.

• Travel restrictions were imposed to reduce the risk of infection.
• There are parking restrictions in the downtown area.

Used when something is officially prohibited. It often refers to items, activities, or actions that are not allowed by law or regulation.

• The government announced a ban on smoking in public places.
• The school has a ban on using mobile phones during classes.

Refers to a state of isolation or restricted access, usually during emergency situations like pandemics or threats. It can apply to buildings, communities, and entire regions.

• The country went into lockdown to prevent the spread of the virus.
• The school was put on lockdown after the threat was reported.

Curfew is typically used when referring to a regulation requiring people, often minors, to remain indoors during designated hours, usually at night.

• The government imposed a curfew to prevent large gatherings.
• Teenagers must be home by 10 PM due to the city's curfew.

Curb is often used to describe actions taken to control or limit something, especially something undesirable or harmful.

• Officials are trying to curb the spread of the virus.
• New laws have been introduced to curb excessive drinking.

Limit denotes the maximum boundary of something or the act of restricting the extent, number, or quantity of something.

• There is a limit to how many people can enter the building.
• She doesn't limit herself to one genre of music.

Constraint is used when referring to any limitation or restriction on someone or something. It can be physical, legal, or social.

• Due to budget constraints, the project will be delayed.
• Her creativity was hampered by the constraints of her strict upbringing.