: 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 golf.—
Sports Illus.
Sports Illus.how many ever see an Ambassador or Minister, let alone a President—Robert Lacville
Robert Lacvillelet alone
2 of 2phrase
: to leave undisturbed
let the flowers alone
also
: to leave to oneself
wanted to be let alone
Examples of let alone in a Sentence
Conjunction
I don't have enough money for a new car, let alone a luxury sedan.
Recent Examples on the Web
Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 26 Dec. 2025
At the time, Larkin didn’t realize apples were the trigger, let alone something as specific as the peel.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
The idea that ordinary people could expect anything different—let alone genuine comfort or opportunity—would sound fantastical to our preindustrial ancestors.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 25 Dec. 2025
The elevation of a third-string quarterback to starter would be difficult for any player, let alone a rookie.
—Miami Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for let alone
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.
Conjunction
Game of Thrones certainly couldn’t withstand the weight of people’s expectations, let alone its overstuffed plot.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 26 Dec. 2025
At the time, Larkin didn’t realize apples were the trigger, let alone something as specific as the peel.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
The idea that ordinary people could expect anything different—let alone genuine comfort or opportunity—would sound fantastical to our preindustrial ancestors.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 25 Dec. 2025
The elevation of a third-string quarterback to starter would be difficult for any player, let alone a rookie.
—Miami Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for let alone
Cite this Entry
“Let alone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/let%20alone. Accessed 28 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share