as in pretends
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 lets on
In his LinkedIn post, Zandi said the VCI is near 5%, indicating further headwinds than the March jobs report lets on.
—
Jake Angelo, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
But the actual clinical evidence is more limited and more conditional than most wellness content lets on.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Even the ideology of the group’s patron saint was more complicated than the ACC lets on.
—Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
But as this first trailer lets on, Beetz’s character isn’t one to go down without a fight.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 Jan. 2026
In flashbacks, the question of who is at fault in Cooper’s death is much more ambiguous than Aggie lets on in her state of eclipsing grief.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
Analysts say the latest developments in Sino-Russian relations reinforce longstanding suspicions defense cooperation between the quasi allies runs deeper than Beijing lets on.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Jake Angelo, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
But the actual clinical evidence is more limited and more conditional than most wellness content lets on.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Even the ideology of the group’s patron saint was more complicated than the ACC lets on.
—Gaby Del Valle, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
But as this first trailer lets on, Beetz’s character isn’t one to go down without a fight.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 5 Jan. 2026
In flashbacks, the question of who is at fault in Cooper’s death is much more ambiguous than Aggie lets on in her state of eclipsing grief.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
Analysts say the latest developments in Sino-Russian relations reinforce longstanding suspicions defense cooperation between the quasi allies runs deeper than Beijing lets on.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lets on
pretends
Verb
-
This team is improved, has a deeper roster, no longer pretends Kris Bryant is a major league player and features more functional pitchers (No, seriously).—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The narrator of Lerner’s tight, astonishingly trenchant new book pretends to record part of his conversations with his elderly mentor and then uses his memory to write a profile.—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lets on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lets%20on. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
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