Limits

In BDSM and kink, limits are the boundaries a person sets around activities they are unwilling or not yet ready to engage in. A hard limit is non-negotiable: an act, word, or dynamic a person will not do under any circumstances, regardless of partner or pressure. A soft limit is conditional: something a person is hesitant about but might consider with the right partner, deeper trust, or careful negotiation. Agreeing on limits before play, alongside a safeword, is a core part of negotiation and of frameworks like Safe, Sane and Consensual (SSC) and Risk-Aware Consensual Kink (RACK). In most kink circles, a partner who claims "no limits" is treated as a warning sign rather than a boast.