: 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
Yiling Pan, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
Not everyone has the stamina or skill to play ice hockey, let alone into their ninth decade of life.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
That’s less than what many people spend on a vacation to watch the Olympics, let alone compete in them.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Cancer, kismet and the comfort of girlhood Taylor and Finkel know not all cancer patients have a best friend who lives close enough to go to appointments with them, let alone the time to do so.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for let alone
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Conjunction
Growth has slowed, discretionary spending is under pressure, and visibility alone — whether through celebrity endorsements, capsule collections, or familiar zodiac motifs — no longer guarantees resonance, let alone conversion.
—Yiling Pan, Vogue, 17 Feb. 2026
Not everyone has the stamina or skill to play ice hockey, let alone into their ninth decade of life.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
That’s less than what many people spend on a vacation to watch the Olympics, let alone compete in them.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
Cancer, kismet and the comfort of girlhood Taylor and Finkel know not all cancer patients have a best friend who lives close enough to go to appointments with them, let alone the time to do so.
—Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
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 19 Feb. 2026.
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