leave someone alone

Meaning

This phrase means to stop bothering, disturbing, or talking to someone, usually because they want privacy or are upset. It can be used as a polite request, a firm boundary, or an angry demand depending on the tone of voice. It is very common in family and friendship dynamics.

Examples

• Please leave me alone; I have a really bad headache right now.

  Please leave me alone; I have a really bad headache right now.

• He asked his little brother to leave him alone while he studied.

  He asked his little brother to leave him alone while he studied.

• If she doesn't want to talk, you should just leave her alone.

  If she doesn't want to talk, you should just leave her alone.

• I decided to leave him alone because he looked very busy.

  I decided to leave him alone because he looked very busy.

• Why can't you just leave them alone and let them play in peace?

  Why can't you just leave them alone and let them play in peace?

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Please leave alone me.

  ✓ Please leave me alone.

  The pronoun or person must go between 'leave' and 'alone'. It is a phrasal structure that splits.

• ✗ I will let him alone.

  ✓ I will leave him alone.

  While 'let someone be' is correct, 'let someone alone' is non-standard in modern daily English. Use 'leave'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• If she is busy, you should ___.

  💡 Stop disturbing her

  Show answer

  leave her alone

• I just want some peace, so please ___.

  💡 Stop bothering me

  Show answer

  leave me alone