leave well enough alone

/ˈliːv ˈwɛl ɪˌnʌf əˈləʊn/

verb

To leave something alone; to avoid trying to correct, fix, or improve what is already adequate.

“We should have left well enough alone when we had it working the first time.”

Similar
leave well aloneif it ain't broke, don't fix itlet well enough alone
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Meanings

verbleave well enough alone (third-person singular simple present leaves well enough alone, present participle leaving well enough alone, simple past and past participle left well enough alone)

present singular third person leaves well enough alone · participle present leaving well enough alone · participle past left well enough alone · past left well enough alone

  1. USTo leave something alone; to avoid trying to correct, fix, or improve what is already adequate.

    We should have left well enough alone when we had it working the first time.

    Synonyms: leave well alone, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, let well enough alone

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo leave something alone; to avoid trying to correct, fix, or improve what is already adequate.

Similar
leave well aloneif it ain't broke, don't fix itlet well enough alone
Also see
if it ain't broke, don't fix itleave well alonelet well enough alonenever change a running system

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 画蛇添足
  • 画蛇添足 (huàshétiānzú)to avoid trying to correct, fix, or improve what is already adequate
Esperanto plibono estas malamiko de bono
  • plibono estas malamiko de bonoto avoid trying to correct, fix, or improve what is already adequate
Finnish jättää rauhaan
  • jättää rauhaanto avoid trying to correct, fix, or improve what is already adequate
French laisser tranquille
  • laisser tranquilleto avoid trying to correct, fix, or improve what is already adequate
Japanese 画蛇添足
  • 画蛇添足to avoid trying to correct, fix, or improve what is already adequate
Polish zostawiać w spokoju, zostawić w spokoju
  • zostawiać w spokojuto avoid trying to correct, fix, or improve what is already adequate
  • zostawić w spokojuto avoid trying to correct, fix, or improve what is already adequate
Ukrainian працю́є - не чіпа́й, зали́шити в спо́кої
  • працю́є - не чіпа́й (pracjúje - ne čipáj)to avoid trying to correct, fix, or improve what is already adequate
  • зали́шити в спо́кої (zalýšyty v spókoji)to avoid trying to correct, fix, or improve what is already adequate
Cite this entry
APA

leave well enough alone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leave%20well%20enough%20alone

MLA

“leave well enough alone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leave%20well%20enough%20alone. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “leave well enough alone,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/leave%20well%20enough%20alone.

Source: leave well enough alone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.