let

verb (1)

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\ ˈlet

let; letting

Definition of let

(Entry 1 of 4)

transitive verb

1 : to cause to : make let me know

2a : to give opportunity to or fail to prevent live and let live a break in the clouds let us see the summit let the opportunity slip

b —used in the imperative to introduce a request or proposal let us pray

c —used as an auxiliary to express a warning let him try

3 : to free from or as if from confinement let out a scream let blood

4 : to permit to enter, pass, or leave let them through let them off with a warning

5a chiefly British : to offer or grant for rent or lease let rooms

b : to assign especially after bids let a contract

6 : to make an adjustment to let out the waist

intransitive verb

1 chiefly British : to become rented or leased

2 : to become awarded to a contractor

let alone

: to leave undisturbed let the flowers alone also : to leave to oneself wanted to be let alone

let fly

1 : to hurl an object

2 : to give unrestrained expression to an emotion or utterance let fly with some sharp rebukes— Janice Castro

let go

1 : to relax or release one's hold —used with of let go of stress— Kathy McCoylet go of my arm

2 : to abandon self-restraint : let fly spoke in clipped sentences, as if fearful of letting go— David Kline there just to party, just to let go— Philippe Vergne

3 : to dismiss from employment the firm let him go at the end of the month

4 : to fail to take care of : neglect let himself go and got real fat— Bill Parcells

let it all hang out

: to reveal one's true feelings : act without dissimulation

let one have it

: to subject to vigorous assault

let one's hair down

: to act without pretense or self-restraint

let rip

1 : to utter or release without restraint let 'er rip

2 : to do or utter something without restraint let rip at the press

let the cat out of the bag

: to give away a secret

let

noun

Definition of let (Entry 2 of 4)

1 : something that impedes : obstruction ruled his little world without hindrance or let— B. F. Reilly

2 : a shot or point in racket games that does not count and must be replayed

let

verb (2)

letted; letted or let; letting

Definition of let (Entry 3 of 4)

transitive verb

archaic

: hinder, prevent

-let

noun suffix

Definition of -let (Entry 4 of 4)

1 : small one booklet

2 : article worn on wristlet

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about let

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Choose the Right Synonym for let

Verb (1)

hire, let, lease, rent, charter mean to engage or grant for use at a price. hire and let, strictly speaking, are complementary terms, hire implying the act of engaging or taking for use and let the granting of use. we hired a car for the summer decided to let the cottage to a young couple lease strictly implies a letting under the terms of a contract but is often applied to hiring on a lease. the diplomat leased an apartment for a year rent stresses the payment of money for the full use of property and may imply either hiring or letting. instead of buying a house, they decided to rent will not rent to families with children charter applies to the hiring or letting of a vehicle usually for exclusive use. charter a bus to go to the game

Examples of let in a Sentence

Noun The first serve was a let. a private resort that allows vacationers to experience without let the joys of nudism

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Jake Alderden said at a news conference Tuesday that the road rage dispute began at about 11 a.m. Tuesday on Lake Shore Drive near Soldier Field when one car refused to let another into a lane of traffic. — Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, "1-year-old boy shot in head in road rage incident in Chicago," 7 Apr. 2021 Having let Jack down has been something that has plagued Nicky since the '70s. — Dan Snierson, EW.com, "This Is Us writers break down double best-man drama — and what that 'ex' ending means," 7 Apr. 2021 The tax on financial-statement income would also let companies claim foreign tax credits. — Kate Davidson, WSJ, "Biden Softens Tax Proposal Aimed at Profitable Companies That Pay Little," 7 Apr. 2021 Cover and let marinate in your refrigerator overnight. — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, "David Kinch Shows You a Foolproof Way to Cook Duck Breast at Home," 7 Apr. 2021 The idea is to let people know that their income isn’t invisible and give them a chance to report it before the auditor calls. — Los Angeles Times, "Column: How to catch cheaters who don’t shoulder their share of the tax burden," 7 Apr. 2021 The state court's decision to let its own orders lapse has some prosecutors worried that Texas will see a dramatic uptick in evictions. — Nicholas Rowan, Washington Examiner, "Texas courts to allow pre-pandemic evictions to resume," 7 Apr. 2021 Uncover and lay a kitchen towel across the pan, then replace the lid and let stand for 10 minutes. — BostonGlobe.com, "Recipes: A weeknight meal that makes the most of classic Middle Eastern ingredients," 7 Apr. 2021 Conditions are so bad in the prison, which is currently beset by a tuberculosis outbreak, that Putin can simply let the institution do his dirty work for him. — Kyle Smith, National Review, "The Bravest Man on Earth," 7 Apr. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'let.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for let

Verb (1)

Middle English leten, from Old English lǣtan; akin to Old High German lāzzan to permit, and perhaps to Lithuanian lėnas tranquil

Verb (2)

Middle English letten, from Old English lettan to delay, hinder; akin to Old High German lezzen to delay, hurt, Old English lǣt late

Noun suffix

Middle English, from Middle French -elet, from -el, diminutive suffix (from Latin -ellus) + -et

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Dictionary Entries near let

lest we forget

le style, c'est l'homme

Statistics for let

Last Updated

10 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Let.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/let. Accessed 12 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for let

let

noun

English Language Learners Definition of let

(Entry 1 of 2)

tennis : a serve that is not accepted or allowed officially and must be done again

-let

noun suffix

English Language Learners Definition of -let (Entry 2 of 2)

: small one

See the full definition for -let in the English Language Learners Dictionary

let

verb

\ ˈlet

let; letting

Kids Definition of let

1 : to allow or permit to Let them go.

2 : to allow to go or pass Let me through.

3 : to cause to : make Let it be known that I'm not going to confess.

4 : rent entry 2 sense 2 rooms to let

5 —used as a warning Just let him try to do it again!

let alone

: to leave undisturbed

let down

: disappoint Don't let me down.

let go

1 : to relax or release a grip Please let go of my arm.

2 : to dismiss from employment

3 : to fail to take care of They let the garden go.

let on

: to admit or reveal … Sam Fraunces never let on that he knew any of them.— Judith Berry Griffin, Phoebe the Spy

let up

1 : to slow down

2 : stop entry 1 sense 4, cease The rain has finally let up.

-let

noun suffix

\ lət \

Kids Definition of -let

1 : small one booklet

2 : something worn on anklet

let

verb

let; letting

Legal Definition of let

transitive verb

1 : to offer or grant for rent, lease, or hire : lease may not be alienated, let, or encumbered corporeal things may be let out

2 : to assign especially after bids were attempting to let a contract without going through the bidding process — Union Springs Tel. Co. v. Rowell, 623 So. 2d 732 (1993)

intransitive verb

1 : to become rented, leased, or hired

2 : to become awarded to a contractor

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