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

From what you say, however, you were not only let down by the trustee of your mother’s estate, your attorney appears to have held you ransom to increasingly outrageous demands.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 11, 2026

"I think John was let down on many, many levels," Jones told the newspaper.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

"Parma played very well and the ball just didn't want to go in for us tonight. We wanted the three points, so of course we feel let down, but we go again."

From Barron's • Feb. 22, 2026

Care Courts, which were meant to help address this, have not yet had the anticipated impact, and some families have felt let down.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2026

She let down her shoulders, as if melting a little.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda