let on

verb

let on; letting on; lets on

intransitive verb

1

: to make acknowledgment : admit

knows more than he lets on

2

: to reveal a secret

nobody let on about the surprise party

3

: pretend

let on to being a stranger

Synonyms of let on

• pretend
• make believe
• make a show

Examples of let on in a Sentence

she's not half as innocent as she likes to let on

Recent Examples on the Web

And is Kadri hurting more than anybody has let on publicly? — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026

How to choose an olive oil worth buying Quality matters more than most labels let on. — Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026

But if that was the reason, Sullivan didn’t let on after the game, instead framing it as a teaching moment. — Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026

On that reading, a building let on a long lease to a tenant with a strong credit rating looks closer to a toll road than to a speculative wager. — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 17 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for let on

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon

Kids Definition

let on

verb

1

: admit sense 1b, reveal

don't let on that I told you

2

: pretend entry 1 sense 2

he's not as happy as he lets on