let (someone) down easy/gently
idiom
: to give someone unpleasant news in a gentle or kind way
I knew I had to fire her, but I was trying to think of a way to let her down easy.
Examples of let (someone) down easy/gently in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Benét demoed the song and sent it to Bailey Rae in London, but was let down gently.
—
Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Let (someone) down easy/gently.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/let%20%28someone%29%20down%20easy%2Fgently. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share