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
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Benét demoed the song and sent it to Bailey Rae in London, but was let down gently.
—
Meagan Jordan, Rolling Stone, 13 June 2025
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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 30 Oct. 2025.
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