to say the least
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to say the least
Without any exaggeration; to put it plainly or mildly. We were disappointed, to say the least, but we decided to put it behind us and get on with the project. My roommates were making out in the living room when I came home last night. It was awkward, to say the least.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
to say the least
at the very least; without overemphasizing the subject; to put it mildly. We were not at all pleased with her work—to say the least. When they had an accident, they were upset to say the least.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
to say the least
Not to exaggerate, as in When the ring turned up in the lost and found, she was delighted, to say the least. This idiom was first recorded in 1809.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
to say the least
COMMON People use to say the least to show that their real opinion is even stronger than what they have just said. There was something odd about the situation, to say the least. What they discovered was interesting, to say the least.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
to say the least (or the least of it)
used as an understatement or euphemism to imply that the reality is more extreme, usually worse. 1997 Spectator References in Mr Cole's letter to the ‘bottle’ were, to say the least, distasteful.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
to ˌsay the (very) ˈleast
used to say that you are using the least strong way of saying something: I’m not very happy with his work, to say the least.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017