to say the least

adverb

Used to suggest an understatement.

“His performance, to say the least, didn't impress me.”

Similar
and then someand how
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Meanings

adverbto say the least (not comparable)
  1. idiomaticnot comparableUsed to suggest an understatement.

    His performance, to say the least, didn't impress me.

    2 more examples

    The 9/11 attacks weren't very good for America. / To say the least!

    "We are very proud of the successful launch of the Elizabeth line. It was very reliable at the start, but the last six months have been challenging, to say the least.

    2024 March 6, Paul Clifton, “Network News: NR launches Reading-Paddington recovery operation”, in RAIL, number 1004, page 7

    Synonyms: and then some, and how

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbUsed to suggest an understatement.

Similar
and then someand how
Also see
and then some

Translations

Arabic على أقلّ تقدير
  • على أقلّ تقديرsuggesting understatement
Dutch op zijn minst gezegd, op zijn zachtst gezegd
  • op zijn minst gezegdsuggesting understatement
  • op zijn zachtst gezegdsuggesting understatement
Finnish lievästi sanottuna
  • lievästi sanottunasuggesting understatement
French c’est le moins qu’on puisse dire, c’est le moins que l’on puisse dire
  • c’est le moins qu’on puisse diresuggesting understatement
  • c’est le moins que l’on puisse diresuggesting understatement
  • pour le moinssuggesting understatement
German gelinde gesagt
  • gelinde gesagtsuggesting understatement
Greek και λίγα λες
  • και λίγα λες (kai líga les)suggesting understatement
Hungarian finoman szólva, enyhén szólva
  • finoman szólvasuggesting understatement
  • enyhén szólvasuggesting understatement
Italian a dir poco, perlomeno
  • a dir pocosuggesting understatement
  • perlomenosuggesting understatement
  • quantomenosuggesting understatement
Polish delikatnie mówiąc, oględnie mówiąc
  • delikatnie mówiącsuggesting understatement
  • oględnie mówiącsuggesting understatement
  • łagodnie mówiącsuggesting understatement
Russian мя́гко говоря́
  • мя́гко говоря́ (mjáxko govorjá)suggesting understatement
Spanish por decir lo menos
  • por decir lo menossuggesting understatement
Swedish milt sagt, minst sagt
  • milt sagtsuggesting understatement
  • minst sagtsuggesting understatement
Ukrainian м'я́ко ка́жучи
  • м'я́ко ка́жучи (mʺjáko kážučy)suggesting understatement
Cite this entry
APA

to say the least. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/to%20say%20the%20least

MLA

“to say the least.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/to%20say%20the%20least. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “to say the least,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/to%20say%20the%20least.

Source: to say the least on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.