Phrase guide

to say the least

adv · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adv

Meaning 1

Used to suggest an understatement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, not-comparable

Examples

  • The 9/11 attacks weren't very good for America. / To say the least!
  • His performance, to say the least, didn't impress me.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: and then some, and how

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: على أقلّ تقدير — suggesting understatement
  • Dutch: op zijn minst gezegd — suggesting understatement
  • Dutch: op zijn zachtst gezegd — suggesting understatement
  • Finnish: lievästi sanottuna — suggesting understatement
  • French: c’est le moins qu’on puisse dire — suggesting understatement
  • French: c’est le moins que l’on puisse dire — suggesting understatement
  • French: pour le moins — suggesting understatement
  • Georgian: სხვა თუ არაფერი (sxva tu araperi) — suggesting understatement
  • Georgian: რბილად რომ ვთქვათ (rbilad rom vtkvat) — suggesting understatement
  • German: gelinde gesagt — suggesting understatement
  • Greek: και λίγα λες (kai líga les) — suggesting understatement
  • Hungarian: finoman szólva — suggesting understatement
  • Hungarian: enyhén szólva — suggesting understatement
  • Italian: a dir poco — suggesting understatement
  • Italian: perlomeno — suggesting understatement
  • Italian: quantomeno — suggesting understatement
  • Polish: co najmniej — suggesting understatement
  • Russian: мя́гко говоря́ (mjáxko govorjá) — suggesting understatement
  • Serbo-Croatian: blago rečeno — suggesting understatement
  • Spanish: cuando menos — suggesting understatement
  • Swedish: milt sagt — suggesting understatement
  • Ukrainian: м'я́ко ка́жучи (mʺjáko kážučy) — suggesting understatement