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• let
  let

  verb (used with object)

  to allow or permit.
• -let
  -let

  a diminutive suffix attached to nouns (booklet; piglet; ringlet ), and, by extraction from bracelet, a suffix denoting a band, piece of jewelry, or article of clothing worn on the part of the body specified by the noun (anklet; wristlet ).

let

¹ American  

[let] / lɛt /

verb (used with object)

let, letting

1. to allow or permit.

   If we let him escape, he'll lead us to the boss.

   Synonyms:

   concede, suffer

   Antonyms:

   prevent

2. to allow to pass, go, or come.

   The gap is too narrow to let the car through.

3. to grant the occupancy or use of (land, buildings, rooms, space, etc., or movable property) for rent or hire (sometimes followed byout ).

   The family lets out their spare room in the summer for extra money.

   Synonyms:

   hire, sublet, rent, lease

4. to contract or assign for performance, usually under a contract.

   They let work to a local carpenter for the repairs.

5. to cause to; make.

   You must let her know the truth of your circumstances if you want to marry her.

6. (used in the imperative as an auxiliary expressive of a request, command, warning, suggestion, etc.).

   Let me see. Let us go. Just let them try it!

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verb (used without object)

let, letting

1. to be rented or leased.

   The apartment lets for $250 per week.

noun

1. British. a lease.

verb phrase

1. let up

   1. to slacken; diminish; abate.

      This heat wave should let up by the end of the week.

   2. to cease; stop.

      The rain let up for a few hours.

2. let out

   1. to divulge; make known.

   2. to release from confinement, restraint, etc.

   3. to enlarge (a garment).

   4. to terminate; be finished; end.

      When does the university let out for the summer?

   5. to make (a let-out fur or pelt).

3. let up on to treat less severely; be more lenient with.

   He refused to let up on the boy until his grades improved.

4. let in

   1. to admit.

   2. to involve (a person) in something without their knowledge or permission.

      to let someone in for a loss.

   3. Also let into. to insert into the surface of (a wall or the like) as a permanent addition.

      to let a plaque into a wall.

   4. Also let in on. to share a secret with; permit to participate in.

5. let on

   1. to reveal one's true feelings.

      She was terrified at the prospect, but didn't let on.

   2. to pretend.

      They let on that they didn't care about not being invited, but I could tell that they were hurt.

6. let off

   1. to release by exploding.

   2. to free from duty or responsibility; excuse.

   3. to allow to go with little or no punishment; pardon.

      The judge let off the youthful offender with a reprimand.

7. let down

   1. to disappoint; fail.

   2. to betray; desert.

   3. to slacken; abate.

      We were too near success to let down in our efforts.

   4. to allow to descend slowly; lower.

   5. Aeronautics. (of an airplane) to descend from a higher to a lower altitude preparatory to making an approach and landing or a similar maneuver.

idioms

1. let go. go.

2. let be,

   1. to refrain from interference.

   2. to refrain from interfering with.

3. let well enough alone. alone.

4. let alone,

   1. not to mention.

      He was too tired to walk, let alone run.

   2. Also leave alone to refrain from annoying or interfering with.

5. let someone have it, to attack or assault, as by striking, shooting, or rebuking.

   The gunman threatened to let the teller have it if he didn't move fast.

let ² American  

[let] / lɛt /

noun

1. (in tennis, badminton, etc.) any play that is voided and must be replayed, especially a service that hits the net and drops into the proper part of the opponent's court.

2. Chiefly Law. an impediment or obstacle.

   to act without let or hindrance.

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verb (used with object)

letted, let, letting

1. Archaic. to hinder, prevent, or obstruct.

-let ³ American  

1. a diminutive suffix attached to nouns (booklet; piglet; ringlet ), and, by extraction from bracelet, a suffix denoting a band, piece of jewelry, or article of clothing worn on the part of the body specified by the noun (anklet; wristlet ).

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let ¹ British  

/ lɛt /

verb

1. to permit; allow

   she lets him roam around

2. (imperative or dependent imperative)

   1. used as an auxiliary to express a request, proposal, or command, or to convey a warning or threat

      let's get on

      just let me catch you here again!

   2. (in mathematical or philosophical discourse) used as an auxiliary to express an assumption or hypothesis

      let "a" equal "b"

   3. used as an auxiliary to express resigned acceptance of the inevitable

      let the worst happen

3. 1. to allow the occupation of (accommodation) in return for rent

   2. to assign (a contract for work)

4. to allow or cause the movement of (something) in a specified direction

   to let air out of a tyre

5. informal to utter

   to let a cry

6. 1. (conjunction) much less; not to mention

      I can't afford wine, let alone champagne

   2. to refrain from annoying or interfering with

      let the poor cat alone

7. See go 1

8. 1. to set free

   2. informal to make (a sound or remark) suddenly

      he let loose a hollow laugh

   3. informal to discharge (rounds) from a gun or guns

      they let loose a couple of rounds of ammunition

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noun

1. the act of letting property or accommodation

   the majority of new lets are covered by the rent regulations

let ² British  

/ lɛt /

noun

1. an impediment or obstruction (esp in the phrase without let or hindrance )

2. tennis squash

   1. a minor infringement or obstruction of the ball, requiring a point to be replayed

   2. the point so replayed

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verb

1. archaic (tr) to hinder; impede

-let ³ British  

suffix

1. small or lesser

   booklet

   starlet

2. an article of attire or ornament worn on a specified part of the body

   anklet

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let More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing let

• (let someone) have it
• blow (let) off steam
• give (let) someone have his or her head
• leave
• live and let live

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Usage

Let us is used in all varieties of speech and writing to introduce a suggestion or a request: Let us consider all the facts before deciding. The contracted form let's occurs mostly in informal speech and writing: Let's go. Let's not think about that right now. Perhaps because let's has come to be felt as a word in its own right rather than as the contraction of let us, it is often followed in informal speech and writing by redundant or appositional pronouns: Let's us plan a picnic. Let's you and I (or me ) get together tomorrow. Both Let's you and me and Let's you and I occur in the relaxed speech of educated speakers. The former conforms to the traditional rules of grammar; the latter, nonetheless, occurs more frequently. See also leave ¹.

Etymology

Origin of let¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English leten, Old English lǣtan; cognate with Dutch laten, German lassen, Old Norse lāta, Gothic lētan; akin to Greek lēdeîn “to be weary,” Latin lassus “tired”; see late

Origin of let²

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb letten, Old English lettan, derivative of læt “slow, tardy”; cognate with Old Norse letja “to hinder”; noun derivative of the verb; see also late

Origin of -let³

Middle English -let, -lette < Middle French -elet, equivalent to -el (< Latin -āle, neuter of -ālis -al ¹ ( cf. bracelet) or < Latin -ellus diminutive suffix; cf. -elle, chaplet) + -et -et

Explanation

To let is to allow or permit. If you don't prevent your little brother from jumping off the roof into a pile of leaves, you let him do it. Your boss might let you take a few days off work, and the friendly city bus driver might let you ride for free when you forget your wallet. Another way to let is to allow someone or something to pass in a certain direction, like a window that lets in the morning sunshine. The word can also mean "lease" or "rent," so a landlord might let a room over his garage to a college student.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

let -let letted letting

Sean Hunter said victims are consistently "let down" by their abusers being bailed.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

"We will not let an act of such gravity go unpunished," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said, adding he had called in Russia's envoy in Paris.

From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026

Another noted, however, “I’m sure Dolly would say to just let it go.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

Having sworn never to be taken back to slavery alive—or to let that happen to anyone else—he had organized an armed self-defense force of black neighbors to fend off slave catchers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

“I shouldn’t let her get to me. I mean, we’re talking about someone who felt the need to prove she was a badass at the expense of a random teenager asking a completely valid question.”

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Equivalent to the English suffixes -let in "streamlet," -ule in "globule," "pustule."

From The International Auxiliary Language Esperanto Grammar and Commentary by George Cox

The forms -rel, as in cockerel, pickerel, and -let, as in streamlet, require a separate consideration.

From A Handbook of the English Language by R. G. (Robert Gordon) Latham

If he says black's black—if I have a humour to say 'tis blue- -let that pass—all's one for that.

From The Way of the World by William Congreve

The termination -let, as in streamlet, seems to be double, and to consist of the Gothic diminutive -l, and the French diminutive -t.

From A Handbook of the English Language by R. G. (Robert Gordon) Latham

"Let us pursue our career hand in hand- -let us always keep our common goal in view, and shrink back from no step in order to reach it."

From Louisa of Prussia and Her Times by L. (Luise) Mühlbach

"The Italian Protestants," wrote Croke to the king, "be utterly against your Highness in this cause, and have letted as much as with their power and malice they could or might."

From The Reign of Henry the Eighth, Volume 1 (of 3) by James Anthony Froude

Albeit he spake sparingly against holidays, when he gave advice to that distressed and lately reformed church, lest the work of reformation should have been letted, yet he did not allow holidays among them.

From The Works of Mr. George Gillespie (Vol. 1 of 2) by George Gillespie

Some of his company, and specially Roger and Stephen, would have letted him; but he laughed and said, "Why, lads, why? these be friends."

From The Well at the World's End: a tale by William Morris

This is brought to passe safely two waies, by suffring and seruing handsomly nature, if it thruste it oute readily and kindely: and helping nature, if it be letted, or be weake in expellinge.

From The Sweating Sickness A boke or counseill against the disease commonly called the sweate or sweatyng sicknesse by John Caius

Whiche thynge to shewe in effecte in my selfe, although by fortune some waies I haue ben letted, yet by that whiche fortune cannot debarre, some waies again I haue declared.

From The Sweating Sickness A boke or counseill against the disease commonly called the sweate or sweatyng sicknesse by John Caius

They are letting go of the view that home ownership is necessary for financial success and trying to thrive by writing a new script to building wealth that provides ample room for saving and investing.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026

But letting too much traffic in poses a reputational risk as criminals could exploit vulnerabilities to access confidential data, said Fletcher, who led the investment with David Kim, a vice president at Blackstone Innovations Investments.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

When that “general” intelligence is powerful enough, will governments be cool with letting it out of their hands?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

It helps her feel a sense of control over her thoughts and emotions instead of letting them dictate her day.

From BBC ● Aug. 29, 2026

She presses her lips together to form a tight line, letting me know she is done talking about it.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold