let 1 of 2

verb

ˈlet How to pronounce let (audio)
Definition of letnext
1
as in to allow
to give permission to my parents would not let me drive until I had a job and could pay for my own gas

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to rent
chiefly British to give the possession and use of (something) in return for periodic payment the pensioner has begun letting rooms in her home to earn some extra money

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to enable
to make able or possible the low gravity on the moon lets you make enormous leaps and jumps

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to tolerate
to fail to prevent (some behavior on someone's part) especially from neglect or indifference they let their kids get away with murder

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

let

2 of 2

noun

as in obstacle
something that makes movement or progress difficult artists are allowed to sell their goods in the public square without let or hindrance

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word let different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of let are charter, hire, lease, and rent. While all these words 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

When is it sensible to use charter instead of let?

While the synonyms charter and let are close in meaning, charter applies to the hiring or letting of a vehicle usually for exclusive use.

charter a bus to go to the game

When could lease be used to replace let?

The words lease and let can be used in similar contexts, but 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

When might rent be a better fit than let?

Although the words rent and let have much in common, 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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of let
Verb
The app's cameo feature lets kids upload their face and voice to create videos, which can lead to misuse. —​wendy Wisner, Parents, 30 Oct. 2025 In addition to live cable, Hulu + Live TV lets subscribers watch originals from Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited. —Rudie Obias, HollywoodReporter, 30 Oct. 2025 The surveys were emailed to residents using Mailchimp, an online platform that lets anyone create and distribute polls and surveys. —Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025 Delegates let the proposal die. —Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for let
Recent Examples of Synonyms for let
  1. allow
  2. rent
  3. enable
  4. tolerate
  5. obstacle
  6. permit
  7. lease
  8. ignore
Verb
  • But if he’s not allowed to do the most important job of an AD, how does that impact everything else?
    — Chris Vannini, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The 32-year-old was pulled after 116 pitches and allowing two baserunners.
    — Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of allow
Verb
  • Grander residences are also available to rent; a few of the 10 are owned by boldface names like Donna Karan.
    — Jacqui Gifford, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Book your stay at the Cades Cove Campground, rent a bike right from the campground store, pack a meal, and start your journey in the afternoon.
    — AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of rent
Verb
  • The research team revealed that during the HTC process, iron was incorporated to impart magnetic properties to the resulting hydrochar, enabling post-treatment recovery using an external magnet.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2025
  • This is what enables people from such diverse backgrounds to come together, just through the medium of K-pop.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2025
Definition of enable
Verb
  • Some cold-hardy plants tolerate a few light frosts, while other crops survive short periods of freezing weather.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Eating before or with your coffee can help your stomach tolerate coffee's acidity.
    — Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Health, 29 Oct. 2025
Definition of tolerate
Noun
  • Shiffrin doesn't view this as an obstacle either, nor something to fear at this stage of the game.
    — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Minister Kabawat’s optimism comes despite immense obstacles.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
Definition of obstacle
Verb
  • He’s not permitted to possess firearms, explosive devices, pyrotechnics, lasers or flashlights.
    — Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
  • These elements might’ve felt like less of a stretch if the director’s screenplay permitted more flight into fantasy.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
Definition of permit
Verb
  • Her parents had leased the home, close to the main Sandringham House residence, which is surrounded by around 20,000 acres of land.
    — Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
  • As reported by The Wall Street Journal, Blue Owl owns 80% of the project, while Meta holds 20%, operating and leasing the facility long-term.
    — Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2025
Definition of lease
Verb
  • The lawsuit alleges Parker ignored concerns raised by several teachers and staff members, including that the student may have had a gun in his possession hours before the shooting.
    — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025
  • In fact, they’d merely been habituated, the way a bird learns to ignore a rhino.
    — AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of ignore

Phrases Containing let

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lessors
let
let alone
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Cite this Entry

“Let.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/let. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on let

Nglish: Translation of let for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about let

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