Stein's law

proper noun

A certain principle or any of several aphorisms expressing it: If something cannot go on forever, it will eventually stop.

“Leaving aside the point that what goes up must come down, Stein's law says that if infinite height is not possible then the rising will eventually stop.”

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. A certain principle or any of several aphorisms expressing it: If something cannot go on forever, it will eventually stop.

    Leaving aside the point that what goes up must come down, Stein's law says that if infinite height is not possible then the rising will eventually stop.

Origin

Formulated by Herbert Stein in the 1980s.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Stein's law. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Stein's%20law

MLA

“Stein's law.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Stein's%20law. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Stein's law,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Stein's%20law.

Source: Stein's law on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.