let go
Idioms-
Allow to escape, set free, as in The police decided to let him go . [c. 1300]
-
Also, let go of . Release one's hold on, as in Please let go of my sleeve , or Once he starts on this subject, he never lets go . [Early 1400s]
-
let it go . Allow it to stand or be accepted. For example, Let it go; we needn't discuss it further . This usage is sometimes amplified to let it go at that , meaning “allow matters to stand as they are.” [Late 1800s]
-
Cease to employ, dismiss, as in They had to let 20 workers go .
-
Also, let oneself go . Behave without restraint, abandon one's inhibitions; also, neglect one's personal hygiene and appearance. For example, When the music began, Jean let herself go and started a wild dance , or After her husband's death she let herself go, forgetting to bathe and staying in her nightgown all day . The first sense dates from the late 1800s, the second from the early 1900s.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Lifelong perfect vision is not something to let go of lightly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
Death and taxes might be certain, but so are mistakes and regret, no matter how much we’d like to believe that we’re big enough to let go.
From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2026
Not long after he was let go, Litberg launched his construction company and came to Menapace to help her with her roofing issues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
Controlling and narcissistic bullies never, or rarely, want to let go.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
They were back on the sidewalk, but he hadn’t let go.
From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
