let alone
Idioms-
See leave someone alone .
-
Not to mention, as in We have no room for another house guest, let alone an entire family . [c. 1800]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The gruelling French farm tracks with their jagged cobblestones seem barely fit for a cow's hoof, let alone a Lycra-clad cyclists' thin tyre and ultra-light bike.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
Blood Orange has consistently penned enough hits to fill an entire set with them, let alone cement himself as one of the mostly highly anticipated performances at this year’s festival.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
Even accounting for bluster, bluff, and negotiation tactics, it’s an extraordinary statement from any world leader, let alone a U.S. president, to make.
From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026
No one had ever been arrested for the crime, let alone convicted.
From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026
These men didn’t look like they could hold off a charge of bunnies, let alone a group of rampaging soldiers.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
