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.

let go

But he got just 63 more big-league at-bats for Montreal before being let go two years later.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

In response to questions about why she was let go, Fox called it “a business decision.”

From Slate ● Sep. 4, 2026

"She was saying, 'Don't let go'. And I didn't let go of my daughter. I swear, I didn't let her go," Bicer said.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

The singer ultimately let go of the dwelling in August 2024 for $3.6 million.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

I try to grab the paper from him, but he won’t let go.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023