let down

British  

verb

1. (also preposition) to lower

2. to fail to fulfil the expectations of (a person); disappoint

3. to undo, shorten, and resew (the hem) so as to lengthen (a dress, skirt, etc)

4. to untie (long hair that is bound up) and allow to fall loose

5. to deflate

   to let down a tyre

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noun

1. a disappointment

2. the gliding descent of an aircraft in preparation for landing

3. the release of milk from the mammary glands following stimulation by the hormone oxytocin

let down Idioms  

1. Cause to descend, lower, as in They let down the sails . [Mid-1100s]

2. Also, let up . Slacken, abate, as in Sales are letting down in this quarter , or They didn't let up in their efforts until the end . The first term dates from the mid-1800s, the variant from the late 1700s.

3. See let someone down . Also see let one's hair down .

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

let down

Robinson said he understood that many delegates felt "deceived and deeply let down by a life of lies", but he added that the party would "face the past honestly".

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

"We welcome that the minister has finally acted and will be watching closely to ensure he follows through and that girls are not let down."

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

"We know we must be held accountable for those we let down and reflect on our role in a society that worked against pregnant unmarried women," its territorial leaders, commissioners Paul and Jenine Main, added.

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026

"She thinks they've been let down a bit and says she would be grateful if the pension was bigger than it is as that would make her living conditions and financial situation better," Pratikshya says.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Spider plants let down vines from the glass roof.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides