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

Perhaps an excited friend lets on about a surprise party, or a co-worker dishes up some unseemly office gossip. — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026

For starters, the science is shakier than cursive’s champions let on. — Mary Jean Tecce Decarlo, The Conversation, 20 Aug. 2026

And yet based on some of its recent actions, this exec also believes Netflix’s leadership may be more concerned than it’s been letting on. — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 16 July 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