let (someone) off the hook
phrase
: to allow (someone who has been caught doing something wrong or illegal) to go without being punished
If you ask me, they let him off the hook too easily.
Cite this Entry
“Let (someone) off the hook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/let%20%28someone%29%20off%20the%20hook. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
