least
Americanadjective
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smallest in size, amount, degree, etc.; slightest.
He gave the least amount of money of anyone.
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lowest in consideration, position, or importance.
noun
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something that is least; the least amount, quantity, degree, etc.
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South Midland U.S. the youngest in a family or group.
adverb
idioms
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at least, Also at the least.
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at the lowest estimate or figure.
The repairs will cost at least $100.
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at any rate; in any case.
You didn't get a good grade, but at least you passed the course.
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not in the least, not in the smallest degree; not at all.
I am not in the least concerned about the outcome of the World Series.
determiner
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the superlative of little
you have the least talent of anyone
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( as pronoun; functioning as sing )
least isn't necessarily worst
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if nothing else
you should at least try
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at the least
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at the minimum
at the least you should earn a hundred pounds
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(usually used with a negative) in the slightest degree; at all
I don't mind in the least
adverb
adjective
Etymology
Origin of least
First recorded before 950; Middle English leest(e), Old English lǣst, superlative of lǣssa; less
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.
"At least in the car park, I knew that there was CCTV, it was floodlit, and they had security, and that was a bonus."
From BBC
The problem, at least in the minds of a growing number of privacy and immigration advocates, is that the readers capture a vast amount of information not related to any specific criminal investigation.
From Los Angeles Times
“I would like us to use the least toxic alternative possible, wherever possible,” Foley said in an interview.
From Los Angeles Times
Prosecutors met with at least seven Epstein victims in the weeks following his August 2019 death and had additional interviews scheduled, the records show.
Lines of parked cars stretched out from the parking lot for at least the following three weeks.
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.
