let alone

conjunction

: to say nothing of : not to mention
used especially to emphasize the improbability of a contrasting example
he would never walk again let alone play golfSports Illus.
how many ever see an Ambassador or Minister, let alone a PresidentRobert Lacville

Examples of let alone in a Sentence

I don't have enough money for a new car, let alone a luxury sedan.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Grand Ole Opry, an institution steeped in old traditions, may have just found a new one, as the crowd at Albert Hall probably won’t have the patience to wait another year for this to happen again, let alone another 100 years. Adam Gold, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025 The Administration is not even pretending to follow the law, let alone its own proclamations about free speech. Louis Menand, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025 Payouts weren’t enough to cover sufficient temporary housing, let alone rebuilding. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025 Is such a thing even possible, let alone desirable? Judy Berman, Time, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for let alone

Word History

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of let alone was in 1765

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Let alone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/let%20alone. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

let alone

conjunction
: to say nothing of : not to mention
lacked the courage, let alone the know-how
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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