verb

limp

lihmp

verb

To walk unevenly, favoring one leg because of an injury or pain.

"He limped off the pitch after twisting his ankle."

"She limped home, still sore from the fall."

To move along slowly and with difficulty, as if something is malfunctioning.

"The damaged plane limped back to base on one engine."

adj

Lacking firmness or stiffness; soft and floppy.

"The lettuce had gone limp in the fridge."

"His handshake was disappointingly limp."

How to Use Limp

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither walking with an uneven, painful step, or being floppy/without stiffness.

Common mistake

As an adjective, "limp" describes something soft or drooping — don't confuse it with "limber" (flexible and easy to move) or "limbo" (uncertain state).

Easily confused with

limber → limbo →

Common pairings

limp handshake limp along go limp

Word Forms

limper comparative, limped past tense, limped past tense, lamp past tense, limped past tense, lump past tense, limps plural, limps plural, limps singular, limps singular, limps singular, limpest superlative

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

He _____ off the pitch after twisting his ankle.

Etymology

From Old English limpan ("to hang down"), related to a Germanic root meaning "to hang loosely" — the same idea behind something going soft or floppy.

Rhymes for limp

imp pimp gimp wimp crimp blimp skimp shrimp

See all rhymes for limp →