LET Synonyms: 143 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

let 1 of 2

verb

ˈlet

Definition of let

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

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

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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

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

Again, let the solution sit for at least 5 minutes before attempting to scrub it clean. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026 The pairing lets Viu’s footprint across Southeast Asia carry TrueVisions Now’s expanding library to new audiences in the region. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026 In fact, the pre-fall collections made a strong case for letting your shoes do all the talking. — Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 13 Aug. 2026 Protecting even a fraction of the bone marrow lets a person regrow it and survive a high-dose exposure. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for let

Recent Examples of Synonyms for let

Verb

Whisenhunt had struggled in his last three starts leading up to Tuesday, allowing 14 earned runs and walking nine batters over his last 11 2/3 innings.

— Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
Researchers in South Korea have recently developed a novel 3D printing method that allows soft actuators made from a single material to stretch or contract when exposed to heat.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of allow

Verb

Across the street, grab a poke bowl with a view at Tropicali, or rent a kayak to explore the lake.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
For example, letting a distant family member stay at a second home without formal documentation, or if someone owns one or more properties and rents them out, but the tenants don’t have documentation that the unit is their primary residence.

— Anthony Izaguirre, Fortune, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of rent

Verb

The kind of research that AI might enable carries a lot of promise.

— Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 10 Aug. 2026
His focus is on creating tangible value for customers by enabling data centers around the world to better plan, design, build, operate and scale their facilities.

— Ciaran Flanagan, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of enable

Verb

Stern’s decisive response to the Malice at the Palace – the suspensions of the players as well as the punishments meted out to the fans – sent a clear message that such behavior would not be tolerated.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
People with digestive conditions that require a temporary low-fiber diet during flare-ups may also need to limit unhulled sesame seeds, since their fiber-rich outer hull can be difficult to tolerate.

— Daryl Austin, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of tolerate

Noun

When children are experiencing poor educational outcomes, at what point does opposition to an alternative become an obstacle to giving families another opportunity?

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Kids today face tremendous obstacles, but perhaps because of the pandemic, many, like Keira, are well-rounded and involved in work, school, extracurricular activities and devoted to their friends and family.

— Nicole Russell, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of obstacle

Verb

In addition to the above costs, the controller said the proposal would require a coastal development permit, which may require studies or permit conditions.

— Tim Fang, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Under national rules, farmers in the Amazon must preserve 80% of their land and may legally clear the remaining 20%, while the moratorium bans any deforestation, even when permitted by law.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of permit

Verb

AerSale — which leases aircraft and engines and offers maintenance and other services — likely won’t block basic premium options altogether for its hundreds of traveling employees.

— Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
And the railroad that’s leasing the bridge along with miles of track in Middletown said that upgrading the bridge would improve the chances of getting more industrial customers.

— Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of lease

Verb

And while in some cases online classes can’t be ignored, the preference is that players attend in the classroom.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
The Republican Party has ignored the national debt every time Republican presidents have signed bills that have cut taxes on the wealthy.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of ignore

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lessors

let

let alone

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“Let.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/let. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of let

verb

noun

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More from Merriam-Webster on let

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