as in to pretend
to take on a false or deceptive appearance
she's not half as innocent as she likes to let on
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Recent Examples of let on
Big corporate homebuyers often counter that their presence is smaller and more benign than the media or political figures let on.
—
Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2025
Payne’s behavior was apparently even scarier than what Henry let on.
—Federico Fahsbender, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2025
But with the reporting network realigned and any of its problems apparently behind it, Lululemon looks much better placed for a strong Christmas than its CEO is letting on.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
However, several weeks and a toxicology report later, Elvis Presley’s cause of death was confirmed—and the results weren’t quite as simple as Francisco let on.
—Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 9 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for let on
Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2025
Payne’s behavior was apparently even scarier than what Henry let on.
—Federico Fahsbender, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2025
But with the reporting network realigned and any of its problems apparently behind it, Lululemon looks much better placed for a strong Christmas than its CEO is letting on.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
However, several weeks and a toxicology report later, Elvis Presley’s cause of death was confirmed—and the results weren’t quite as simple as Francisco let on.
—Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 9 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for let on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for let on
pretend
Verb
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Have you ever been contacted by someone pretending to be Elon Musk?—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
26 June 2025
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The show then cut over to a Good Morning America clip that sees Haines pretend to faint when the superhero swings into frame.—
Emlyn Travis Published,
EW.com,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Let on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/let%20on. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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