Limbo is an uncertain, in-between state where you're waiting for something to be decided or resolved, stuck without being able to move forward. When you're in limbo, you can't make plans because you don't know what's going to happen next.

Imagine applying to a summer camp and waiting weeks to hear if you got in. You can't sign up for other activities because you might be at camp, but you also can't prepare for camp because you don't know if you're going. That frustrating waiting period is limbo. A family might be in limbo while waiting to find out if they got the house they wanted to buy, or a student might feel in limbo between finishing one grade and starting the next.

Being in limbo can feel uncomfortable because humans naturally want to know what's coming and make plans. The waiting and uncertainty make it hard to relax or focus on other things.

When something finally gets resolved and you're no longer in limbo, people often say they're relieved to be out of limbo, even if the news isn't exactly what they hoped for. Sometimes knowing the answer, whatever it is, feels better than being stuck in uncertainty.