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.
While their parents, several relatives on their mother’s side, and even their maternal grandmother were physicians, they were never expected to be doctors ― let alone orthopedic surgeons just like their father. Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 30 Jan. 2025 Not one state improved its eighth-grade reading scores compared with 2022, let alone 2019. Jonaki Mehta, NPR, 29 Jan. 2025 DeSantis’s scheme all but guarantees that none would even be attempted, let alone succeed. Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2025 The Sabres and Flames didn’t have anybody on their respective rosters as good as MacKinnon or Makar, let alone both of them at the same time. Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 25 Jan. 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

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 3 Feb. 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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