let off

phrasal verb

let off; letting off; lets off

1

: to allow (someone) to get off a bus, an airplane, etc.

Could you let me off (the bus) at the next stop, please?

The bus stopped to let off a few passengers.

2

: to allow (someone who has been caught doing something wrong or illegal) to go without being punished

The police officer let her off with just a warning.

They let him off easy/easily/lightly, if you ask me.

3

: to cause (something) to explode or to be released in a forceful way

let off a firecracker

opened the valve to let off pressure

Examples of let off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This time, the Wolverines aren’t letting off the throttle after signing Underwood, the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2025. —Austin Meek, New York Times, 15 May 2025

If a kid is a violent kid, and the kid is being let off with multiple warnings and minimal disciplinary consequences after giving every indication of being violent and dangerous, that violence and that danger may not stay inside of the building. —Holly Yan, CNN Money, 10 May 2025

The wand lets off a buzz every three minutes to cue you to move on to the next area of your face so no nook feels left out. —Annie Blackman, Allure, 3 Apr. 2025

Busch believes the penalty wasn't enough and that Cindric was let off lightly. —William Lambers, Newsweek, 9 Mar. 2025

Rhymes for let off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff