Much less Meaning in English
expression
ˈmətʃ/ /ˈɫɛs
MUCH-less
mˈʌtʃ/ /lˈɛs
MUCH-less
Definition
Used to emphasize that an even greater difference exists after a statement, showing that something is much less possible, likely, or true than what was just mentioned.
Usage & Nuances
"Much less" is formal or neutral and shows strong contrast. Common after negatives: "He can't ride a bike, much less drive a car." Not interchangeable with "less" alone. Can sometimes be replaced by "let alone".
Spanish: y mucho menosPortuguese (BR): quanto maisPortuguese (PT): quanto maisChinese (Simplified): 更不用说Chinese (Traditional): 更不用說Hindi: तो दूर की बात हैArabic: فضلاً عنBengali: তো দূরের কথা - তো কল্পনা করাও বাহুল্যRussian: не говоря уже о - тем болееJapanese: ましてや - ましてVietnamese: chứ đừng nói đến - huống chiKorean: 더군다나 - 하물며Turkish: hele ki - bırak, şöyle dursunUrdu: تو کجا، یہاں تک کہIndonesian: apalagi - bahkan tidak
Example Sentences
He can't swim, much less dive.
basic
I can't afford a bike, much less a car.
basic
She doesn't have time to eat breakfast, much less cook dinner.
basic
I've never even been to Spain, much less learned Spanish.
natural
No one finished the test in an hour, much less thirty minutes.
natural
I didn't get a reply, much less an apology.
natural