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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 golf—Sports Illus.
how many ever see an Ambassador or Minister, let alone a President—Robert 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
Penelope is 28, considered a spinster in the England of 1824, and has long since given up on finding love, let alone a husband.
—Kari Sonde, TIME, 16 May 2024
Long ago, in the day when owning a color television was a luxury, the sight of a Ferrari in a magazine—let alone on the road—was a rare privilege.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 14 May 2024
The first city planners could not have anticipated Uber vehicles, let alone Amazon deliveries or commuters on electric scooters.
—New York Times, 13 May 2024
But the barrier before health officials is who would launch a drive to broadly mask and goggle at dairy farms, let alone potentially require safety measures.
—Sarah Owermohle, STAT, 10 May 2024
Securing a trio of titles in a fest would be a feat for any company, let alone a nascent division that is the brainchild of a fashion designer.
—Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The single mom had no idea her boyfriend had been married twice before, let alone that both women had disappeared, according to reporting by The Sun.
—Christina Coulter, Fox News, 5 May 2024
With the Asian continent being so large, that’s a huge group of people seeking representation in the U.S., but Lakshmi points out that there is a varying group of cultures in India, let alone across the Asian continent.
—Shalini Dore, Variety, 3 May 2024
Making the shortlist – let alone the final cut – is not just a matter of sterling credentials.
—Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 2 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'let alone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1765, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near let alone
Cite this Entry
“Let alone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/let%20alone. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
Kids Definition
let alone
conjunction
: to say nothing of : not to mention
lacked the courage, let alone the know-how
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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