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.
He was detained for five hours and eventually let go.
From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2026
Being part of “The Pitt” has helped Hatosy let go of the need to know everything about his character or the story ahead of time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Layoffs are low and most companies are reluctant to let go of workers when skilled labor is hard to find.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
“He’s just let go of the people who pick up the phone.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
He’d go into the water with me and follow as I took a deep breath, let go of the boat, and struck out.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
Definitions 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.
