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.
But these economists worry that a rate hike could cause a sharp cut in economic activity, which could prompt businesses to let go of workers and ultimately lead to a recession.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 14, 2026
It’s the surrender — that willingness to let go and let others in — that I find myself most compelled by when I enter his gaze.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
In response to questions about why she was let go, Fox called it “a business decision.”
From Slate ● Sep. 4, 2026
We have let go of so many players, with Omar Marmoush and maybe Nico Gonzalez set to follow Rodri and Savinho out of the door alongside several others this summer.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
The sound of the footsteps got louder and Elliot let go of my arm so he could duck behind one of the large statues in the fountain.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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.
