leave alone

USAGE SUMMARY

"leave alone" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to advise someone to leave something or someone alone, either to let it stay undisturbed or to not deal with it. For example: "Please leave the folder alone, I'm still working on it."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Me, they leave alone also.

The New Yorker

This is something you leave alone".

The New York Times

"It's nice to have something that they leave alone".

The New York Times - Tech

"Exit Ghost" is just too fascinating to leave alone.

The New York Times - Books

For these purposes, leave alone who is right.

The Guardian

"Anything that involves artists doing that I can leave alone".

The Guardian - Music

Everything else, he has decided, he can leave alone.

The New York Times - Magazine

He's the kind of guy that you leave alone.

The New York Times - Sports

All in all, a race to leave alone.

The Guardian - Sport

At the same time, the deer leave alone many of the invasive species in the park.

The New York Times

"Not the right guy for us to leave alone in the slot like that," Lundqvist said.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "leave alone" when you want to explicitly instruct someone to not interfere with something, whether it's a physical object, a person, or a situation. Ensure the context is clear to avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Be mindful that "leave alone" can sometimes be misinterpreted as neglect or indifference. To avoid this, provide context or justification for why non-interference is the appropriate course of action.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "leave alone" is a verb phrase. It typically functions as an imperative, used to instruct or advise someone to refrain from interacting with or disturbing something. As Ludwig AI confirms, this usage is correct and common.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Reference

4%

Encyclopedias

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "leave alone" functions as a verb phrase primarily used to instruct someone to avoid interfering with something or someone. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage across diverse contexts. It is frequently found in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business settings, indicating its broad applicability and neutral register. While "leave alone" is generally clear, be mindful of potential misinterpretations of indifference or neglect. Related phrases include "let be" and "stay away from", offering nuanced alternatives depending on the desired emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

let be

Emphasizes allowing something to remain as it is without intervention.

leave undisturbed

Highlights the act of not disrupting or altering something's current state.

stay away from

Suggests avoiding contact or interaction with someone or something.

keep your distance from

Implies maintaining a physical or emotional separation.

hands off

Indicates a policy or directive of non-interference.

disregard

Means to pay no attention to something; ignore.

overlook

Suggests ignoring something, often a fault or problem.

abandon

Implies deserting or giving up on someone or something.

forsake

Indicates completely renouncing or abandoning someone or something.

exclude

Means to prevent someone or something from entering or participating.

FAQs

How can I use "leave alone" in a sentence?

You can use "leave alone" to instruct someone not to disturb or interfere with something. For example, "Please "leave it alone", I'm still working on it" or "Just "leave him alone", he needs some space".

What does "leave alone" mean?

"Leave alone" means to not touch, disturb, or interfere with someone or something. It can also mean to allow someone or something to remain undisturbed or in their current state.

What are some alternatives to "leave alone"?

Alternatives to "leave alone" include "let be", "leave undisturbed", or "stay away from", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "leave alone" or "leave it alone"?

Both "leave alone" and "leave it alone" are correct, but they have slightly different usages. "Leave alone" is more general, while "leave it alone" specifically refers to leaving a particular thing undisturbed.