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.
Very few in my generation actually know how to cook things, let alone from scratch. Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2025 In other states where Democrats control the governor's office and legislature, including Colorado and Washington, the party has backed independent commissions that cannot redraw, let alone rig, maps in the middle of the decade. Arkansas Online, 3 Aug. 2025 That will have to change for the Mets to position themselves properly for a run in October, let alone to make one once there. Tim Britton, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2025 Hamsters are naturally solitary animals and need their own habitats for territorial reasons, let alone accidental pregnancy concerns. Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 2 Aug. 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 19 Aug. 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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