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.
But the truth is that Manchester United, or any club for that matter, cannot survive, let alone thrive, in an environment driven by such emotional instability. Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025 One is that there are more than 70,000 people in prison—a staggering 2% of the population—many yet to be indicted let alone tried. Christopher Sabatini, Time, 30 Aug. 2025 Unattended deaths in homes don't get talked about often, let alone shown on video. Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025 For a Chicago Cubs lineup that has struggled lately to consistently score runs, let alone put up a crooked number, Friday’s opener against the Colorado Rockies provided the ideal bounce-back environment coming off the sweep in San Francisco. Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 30 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 5 Sep. 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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