at the (very) least

idiom

—used to indicate the least thing that is true, acceptable, desirable, or certain to happen

He wanted to win the race, or at the least, to finish second.

It will change your life or, at the very least, teach you something new.

At the very least, she deserves to be heard.

Examples of at the (very) least in a Sentence

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.

These maneuvers occupy something of a legal gray area, lawyers say, but are roundly condemned in the cryptosphere as ethically dubious at the least. —

Joel Khalili, WIRED, 6 Dec. 2024 This current run for Sutton, though, feels at the very least like an unlocking. Head coach Sean Payton’s figured out more and more how to feature him. —

Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 6 Dec. 2024 Or at the very least that economic backsliding is limited? —

William Pesek, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024 Josh Allen is hoping for a Super Bowl ring this year, but, at the very least, he's guaranteed another type of ring. —

Ryan Morik, Fox News, 29 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for at the (very) least

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“At the (very) least.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20%28very%29%20least. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

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