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.
At the heart of the city, this is one of the bustling, busiest areas of London on any day of the week, let alone a sunny Saturday in May, but chuck in a sizeable number of boisterous football fans and there is the potential for things to get messy, hence a large police presence. Tim Spiers, New York Times, 18 May 2025 After repeatedly promising and failing to deliver vehicles that safely drive themselves for the past decade, let alone pick up riders, his track record isn’t looking good. Alan Ohnsman, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025 Sharp warned that, for most adult women, 1,200 calories a day is already less than what the body requires just to function at rest—let alone for physical activity. Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025 Since Series Mania launched its International Panorama in 2018, no country, let alone the same company, has won its two biggest prizes in one and the same year. John Hopewell, Variety, 15 May 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 23 May. 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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