least
adverb · noun
Simple meaning
In the smallest or lowest degree.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
leestIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈlist
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adverb
In the smallest or lowest degree; in a degree below all others.
Used for forming superlatives of adjectives, especially those that do not form the superlative by adding -est.
“The garter snake is the least dangerous snake.”
noun
philosophy
Something of the smallest possible extent; an indivisible unit.
philosophy
Something that is of no importance
“It is the least I can do.”
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: In the smallest or lowest degree; in a degree below all others.
Used this way, least is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It stays understated rather than dramatic. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Mild
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
How It’s Used
The word’s distinct uses, one example each.
Formingadverb
“The garter snake is the least dangerous snake.”
Importancenoun
“It is the least I can do.”
More ways to use least
- “The garter snake is the least dangerous snake.”adverb
- “It is the least I can do.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Small American bittern.
The smallest multiple that is exactly divisible by every member of a set of numbers.
The least effortful way to do something.
Especially not.
The least effortful way to do something.
Smallest American sandpiper.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: something of the smallest possible extent
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.