at most

Idioms  

1. Also,. At the largest amount, the furthest limit; also, in the most extreme case. For example, She'll be finished in two weeks at the most, or It'll take two weeks at the outside, or At most the chef uses a tiny bit of pepper. The terms with most date from the 1300s; at the outside from the mid-1800s. Also see at best.

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Example Sentences

Kimmitt said that Europeans and others may be reluctant to help Washington in a fight that many of them at most only thinly support, but he said doing so could be in their interests.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

But California has built, at most, only 34 projects since 2015, and experts say that’s a generous accounting.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026

Emeritus status is selective and requires approval at most universities.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

"Madrid and Inter are teams who can win the Champions League, and we are a team who at most can do something incredible."

From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026

Hospital Tommy talked like an encyclopedia and Guitar had to guess at most of his words.

From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison

Related Words

• alone
• entirely
• hardly
• merely
• particularly
• purely
• simply
• solely