to say the least

Idioms

Not to exaggerate, as in When the ring turned up in the lost and found, she was delighted, to say the least. This idiom was first recorded in 1809.

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.

In it, they definitely look like people who know one another, to say the least.

From Slate • Apr. 10, 2026

It's debatable, to say the least, that going back to engines so loud as to be painfully intrusive and uncomfortable would be welcomed by many fans.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

It’s not a company-altering fine, to say the least.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026

Who they are supposed to surrender to is unclear, to say the least, and how any of this could possibly come to pass without a U.S. presence on the ground is virtually impossible.

From Salon • Mar. 5, 2026

This was a sign of nervousness, to say the least.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023