not (in) the least
idiom
: not at all : not in any way or respect
It did not interest me in the least.
That joke was not in the least funny.
I'm not the least worried.
Examples of not (in) the least in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Most intangible of all – but certainly not the least toxic – are the divisions within us: political, social, cultural, geographical.
—
Eli Amdur, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
With their ability to engage targets at the speed of light, lasers are being seriously developed by the major military powers as a counter to many threats – not the least of which is the presence of increasingly sophisticated drones.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 17 Feb. 2025
The conclusion of the original trilogy has many loose ends to tie up, not the least of which is the preceding chapter’s familial twist.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 15 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, our lobby hero has other problems, not the least of which is his boss, who not only dislikes his subordinates sleeping on the job but is caught up with law-enforcement problems of his own.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for not (in) the least
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Eli Amdur, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
With their ability to engage targets at the speed of light, lasers are being seriously developed by the major military powers as a counter to many threats – not the least of which is the presence of increasingly sophisticated drones.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 17 Feb. 2025
The conclusion of the original trilogy has many loose ends to tie up, not the least of which is the preceding chapter’s familial twist.
—Katie Rife, EW.com, 15 Feb. 2025
Meanwhile, our lobby hero has other problems, not the least of which is his boss, who not only dislikes his subordinates sleeping on the job but is caught up with law-enforcement problems of his own.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for not (in) the least
Cite this Entry
“Not (in) the least.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20%28in%29%20the%20least. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share