in the least

Idioms  

1. Also, in the slightest. At all, in the smallest degree. These terms are nearly always used in a negative context. For example, I don't care in the least what you do with the money, or It doesn't matter in the slightest whether or not you attend. [c. 1600] They may also be put as not in the least or not in the slightest, as in I am not in the least worried about the outcome, or The heat doesn't bother me in the slightest. In the least dates from about 1600; in the slightest has been used in the sense of “emphatically unimportant or trifling” since the late 1500s.

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

in the least

Sport England figures said that 47% of children and young people in the most deprived areas could swim 25 metres, compared with 69% in the least deprived areas.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

Curry made him a Bozo hiding sharp teeth, which was terrifying but not alluring in the least.

From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2026

We live in the least risky age in history.

From MarketWatch ● May 6, 2026

And though the show was perfectly competent, it had a definite cash-the-check vibe, as though Malone were putting in the least possible work to satisfy his commitment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2026

Spending doesn't interest him in the least, especially as he grows older.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris