let go
Idioms-
Allow to escape, set free, as in The police decided to let him go . [c. 1300]
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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]
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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]
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Cease to employ, dismiss, as in They had to let 20 workers go .
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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.
You can try, but there comes a time to let go and allow your children to make their own decisions.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026
She said a just transition has to be strong enough for people to "let go of the industry that built their community" and "trust that the new economy will be ready to catch them".
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
“Joe was able to be himself and let go and give all of himself to this character, and I could see that in this first tape.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026
The number of tech workers let go so far this year, a 66% increase from the same period in 2025.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 17, 2026
The train began to move, and Penelope was forced to let go.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
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.
