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Idiom: Let alone
Definition of Let Alone
In English, the phrase let alone is a useful way to show that if one thing is not possible or true, then something even more difficult or unlikely is also not possible or true.
The meaning of let alone is similar to saying “much less” or “not to mention.”
It helps to emphasize the difference between two situations, with the second being more extreme than the first.
How to Use Let Alone in Sentences
When we use let alone, we usually talk about two related things.
The first is already challenging or impossible, and the second is even more so.
For example, you might say, “I can’t afford a bicycle, let alone a car.” This means that if you cannot buy a bicycle, it is much less likely that you could buy a car.
Another example is, “He doesn’t have time to call his friends, let alone visit them.”
Here, it is clear that if calling is hard, visiting is even harder.
Examples of Let Alone
It is common to use, let alone to highlight, just how unlikely or difficult something is.
For instance, a student who cannot finish one assignment, let alone three, is showing that three is much more impossible.
Someone who has never been to a city, let alone another country, is saying that travelling far is out of reach.
You may hear people say they cannot run a mile, let alone a marathon, to stress the difference in difficulty.
If a person cannot save enough for lunch, let alone a vacation, it means the second goal is even further away.
Even finding time to read a book, let alone write one, can be a challenge.
With let alone, you can make your meaning clear and emphasize what is truly less likely.
Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test
This post is understandable by someone with at least a 7th-grade education (age 12).
On the Flesch-Kincaid reading-ease test, this post scores 75.
The easier a passage is to read, the higher the score on a scale of 0 – 100.