letup

1 of 2

noun

let·​up ˈlet-ˌəp 

: a lessening of effort, activity, or intensity

let up

2 of 2

verb

let up; letting up; lets up

intransitive verb

1

a

: to diminish or slow down : slacken

b

: cease, stop

2

: to become less severe

—used with on

Synonyms

Noun

• braking
• deceleration
• downshift
• retardation
• slowdown

Verb

• break off
• break up
• cease
• close
• conclude
• dead-end
• determine
• die
• discontinue
• elapse
• end
• expire
• finish
• go
• halt
• lapse
• leave off
• pass
• quit
• stop
• terminate
• wind up
• wink (out)

Examples of letup in a Sentence

Noun

the downpour continued for hours without letup

Verb

the rain let up just as we reached the house

the windmill slowed down as the wind let up

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

There was no letup from the sweltering heat wave frazzling much of the eastern United States on Friday, with some 90 million Americans under heat alerts nationwide. —Alexander Smith, NBC News, 21 June 2024

No letup from extreme heat for much of the eastern U.S. There will be no letup from the sweltering heat wave frazzling much of the eastern United States today, with tens of millions of people under heat warnings. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 21 June 2024

Verb

In the non-place beneath the highways, the jet-engine-like roar of the traffic and the thumping of tires on the seams of the road above never let up. —Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024

The sea was flat, and as night fell, the wind didn’t let up. —Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1836, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

letup

1 of 2 noun

let·​up ˈlet-ˌəp 

: a lessening of effort or force

let up

2 of 2 verb

1

: to slow down : slacken

2

: to come to a stop : cease

the rain let up

3

: to ease off : be less severe

—used with on