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• let
  let

  verb (used with object)

  to allow or permit.
• -let
  -let

  a diminutive suffix attached to nouns (booklet; piglet; ringlet ), and, by extraction from bracelet, a suffix denoting a band, piece of jewelry, or article of clothing worn on the part of the body specified by the noun (anklet; wristlet ).

let

¹ American  

[let] / lɛt /

verb (used with object)

let, letting

1. to allow or permit.

   If we let him escape, he'll lead us to the boss.

   Synonyms:

   concede, suffer

   Antonyms:

   prevent

2. to allow to pass, go, or come.

   The gap is too narrow to let the car through.

3. to grant the occupancy or use of (land, buildings, rooms, space, etc., or movable property) for rent or hire (sometimes followed byout ).

   The family lets out their spare room in the summer for extra money.

   Synonyms:

   hire, sublet, rent, lease

4. to contract or assign for performance, usually under a contract.

   They let work to a local carpenter for the repairs.

5. to cause to; make.

   You must let her know the truth of your circumstances if you want to marry her.

6. (used in the imperative as an auxiliary expressive of a request, command, warning, suggestion, etc.).

   Let me see. Let us go. Just let them try it!

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verb (used without object)

let, letting

1. to be rented or leased.

   The apartment lets for $250 per week.

noun

1. British. a lease.

verb phrase

1. let up

   1. to slacken; diminish; abate.

      This heat wave should let up by the end of the week.

   2. to cease; stop.

      The rain let up for a few hours.

2. let out

   1. to divulge; make known.

   2. to release from confinement, restraint, etc.

   3. to enlarge (a garment).

   4. to terminate; be finished; end.

      When does the university let out for the summer?

   5. to make (a let-out fur or pelt).

3. let up on to treat less severely; be more lenient with.

   He refused to let up on the boy until his grades improved.

4. let in

   1. to admit.

   2. to involve (a person) in something without their knowledge or permission.

      to let someone in for a loss.

   3. Also let into. to insert into the surface of (a wall or the like) as a permanent addition.

      to let a plaque into a wall.

   4. Also let in on. to share a secret with; permit to participate in.

5. let on

   1. to reveal one's true feelings.

      She was terrified at the prospect, but didn't let on.

   2. to pretend.

      They let on that they didn't care about not being invited, but I could tell that they were hurt.

6. let off

   1. to release by exploding.

   2. to free from duty or responsibility; excuse.

   3. to allow to go with little or no punishment; pardon.

      The judge let off the youthful offender with a reprimand.

7. let down

   1. to disappoint; fail.

   2. to betray; desert.

   3. to slacken; abate.

      We were too near success to let down in our efforts.

   4. to allow to descend slowly; lower.

   5. Aeronautics. (of an airplane) to descend from a higher to a lower altitude preparatory to making an approach and landing or a similar maneuver.

idioms

1. let go. go.

2. let be,

   1. to refrain from interference.

   2. to refrain from interfering with.

3. let well enough alone. alone.

4. let alone,

   1. not to mention.

      He was too tired to walk, let alone run.

   2. Also leave alone to refrain from annoying or interfering with.

5. let someone have it, to attack or assault, as by striking, shooting, or rebuking.

   The gunman threatened to let the teller have it if he didn't move fast.

let ² American  

[let] / lɛt /

noun

1. (in tennis, badminton, etc.) any play that is voided and must be replayed, especially a service that hits the net and drops into the proper part of the opponent's court.

2. Chiefly Law. an impediment or obstacle.

   to act without let or hindrance.

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verb (used with object)

letted, let, letting

1. Archaic. to hinder, prevent, or obstruct.

-let ³ American  

1. a diminutive suffix attached to nouns (booklet; piglet; ringlet ), and, by extraction from bracelet, a suffix denoting a band, piece of jewelry, or article of clothing worn on the part of the body specified by the noun (anklet; wristlet ).

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let ¹ British  

/ lɛt /

verb

1. to permit; allow

   she lets him roam around

2. (imperative or dependent imperative)

   1. used as an auxiliary to express a request, proposal, or command, or to convey a warning or threat

      let's get on

      just let me catch you here again!

   2. (in mathematical or philosophical discourse) used as an auxiliary to express an assumption or hypothesis

      let "a" equal "b"

   3. used as an auxiliary to express resigned acceptance of the inevitable

      let the worst happen

3. 1. to allow the occupation of (accommodation) in return for rent

   2. to assign (a contract for work)

4. to allow or cause the movement of (something) in a specified direction

   to let air out of a tyre

5. informal to utter

   to let a cry

6. 1. (conjunction) much less; not to mention

      I can't afford wine, let alone champagne

   2. to refrain from annoying or interfering with

      let the poor cat alone

7. See go 1

8. 1. to set free

   2. informal to make (a sound or remark) suddenly

      he let loose a hollow laugh

   3. informal to discharge (rounds) from a gun or guns

      they let loose a couple of rounds of ammunition

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noun

1. the act of letting property or accommodation

   the majority of new lets are covered by the rent regulations

let ² British  

/ lɛt /

noun

1. an impediment or obstruction (esp in the phrase without let or hindrance )

2. tennis squash

   1. a minor infringement or obstruction of the ball, requiring a point to be replayed

   2. the point so replayed

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verb

1. archaic (tr) to hinder; impede

-let ³ British  

suffix

1. small or lesser

   booklet

   starlet

2. an article of attire or ornament worn on a specified part of the body

   anklet

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let More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing let

• (let someone) have it
• blow (let) off steam
• give (let) someone have his or her head
• leave
• live and let live

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Usage

Let us is used in all varieties of speech and writing to introduce a suggestion or a request: Let us consider all the facts before deciding. The contracted form let's occurs mostly in informal speech and writing: Let's go. Let's not think about that right now. Perhaps because let's has come to be felt as a word in its own right rather than as the contraction of let us, it is often followed in informal speech and writing by redundant or appositional pronouns: Let's us plan a picnic. Let's you and I (or me ) get together tomorrow. Both Let's you and me and Let's you and I occur in the relaxed speech of educated speakers. The former conforms to the traditional rules of grammar; the latter, nonetheless, occurs more frequently. See also leave ¹.

Etymology

Origin of let¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English leten, Old English lǣtan; cognate with Dutch laten, German lassen, Old Norse lāta, Gothic lētan; akin to Greek lēdeîn “to be weary,” Latin lassus “tired”; see late

Origin of let²

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb letten, Old English lettan, derivative of læt “slow, tardy”; cognate with Old Norse letja “to hinder”; noun derivative of the verb; see also late

Origin of -let³

Middle English -let, -lette < Middle French -elet, equivalent to -el (< Latin -āle, neuter of -ālis -al ¹ ( cf. bracelet) or < Latin -ellus diminutive suffix; cf. -elle, chaplet) + -et -et

Explanation

To let is to allow or permit. If you don't prevent your little brother from jumping off the roof into a pile of leaves, you let him do it. Your boss might let you take a few days off work, and the friendly city bus driver might let you ride for free when you forget your wallet. Another way to let is to allow someone or something to pass in a certain direction, like a window that lets in the morning sunshine. The word can also mean "lease" or "rent," so a landlord might let a room over his garage to a college student.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

let -let letted letting

“We’ve let that be known to the exhibitors in the film area, but it’s their decision,” Gelfond continued.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026

"It just feels like another let down for Andrew really, when you look at the horrific way he was killed, we have to live with that," she told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

A hike would let Warsh define his chairmanship on his own terms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

“The rise in measles cases nationally is a reminder that we cannot let our guard down against serious and highly contagious diseases,” said Dr. Susan Philip, the San Francisco health officer, in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

Now let me give you advice about manners.

From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios

If he says black's black—if I have a humour to say 'tis blue- -let that pass—all's one for that.

From The Way of the World by Congreve, William

The termination -let, as in streamlet, seems to be double, and to consist of the Gothic diminutive -l, and the French diminutive -t.

From A Handbook of the English Language by Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)

"Let us pursue our career hand in hand- -let us always keep our common goal in view, and shrink back from no step in order to reach it."

From Louisa of Prussia and Her Times by Mühlbach, L. (Luise)

But I have not told you -let the last moment be the hardest.

From The Motor Girls on a Tour by Penrose, Margaret

Equivalent to the English suffixes -let in "streamlet," -ule in "globule," "pustule."

From The International Auxiliary Language Esperanto Grammar and Commentary by Cox, George

This is brought to passe safely two waies, by suffring and seruing handsomly nature, if it thruste it oute readily and kindely: and helping nature, if it be letted, or be weake in expellinge.

From The Sweating Sickness A boke or counseill against the disease commonly called the sweate or sweatyng sicknesse by Caius, John

Albeit he spake sparingly against holidays, when he gave advice to that distressed and lately reformed church, lest the work of reformation should have been letted, yet he did not allow holidays among them.

From The Works of Mr. George Gillespie (Vol. 1 of 2) by Gillespie, George

But first the very trueth is, that I was from the same voyage letted by the Princes letters, which my Master Sebastian Gabota had obtained for that purpose, to my great griefe.

From The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 11 by Hakluyt, Richard

Some with a Carte, or with Beames under some colour, have letted the gate, that it could not bee shutte, and with this waie, made the entrie easie to the enemie.

From Machiavelli, Volume I by Dacres, Edward

So folk followed them down to the ships, and all letted them of their journey, but attained to naught therein.

From The Story of the Volsungs, (Volsunga Saga) With Excerpts from the Poetic Edda by Morris, William

I find it best to add the leaves in batches, letting each handful wilt before adding more into the pan.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

The album has a broad theme of responsibility, as Abrams accepts blame for her mistakes, without letting others off the hook.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

And letting voters select delegates—and even become delegates themselves—seems like a genuine effort at inclusiveness and transparency.

From Slate ● Jul. 16, 2026

A crisp, charming presence opposite volcanic stars like Nicole Kidman, Isabelle Adjani and Holly Hunter, Neill made a career out of letting others shine.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026

I did not know it was there and had been letting them run, not riding the sled brake to slow them, and we virtually shot off the edge.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen