let 1 of 2

Definition of letnext
1
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

let

2 of 2

noun

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
Garbage pick up services were cancelled for Monday and city officials will let residents know when services will resume. Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Jan. 2026 Jaime has a lot of sorting out to do while in Texas, and Shlesinger generously lets her character fumble through it. Peter Debruge, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026 Minnesota let Darnold go despite that success and, boy, the Seahawks were happy to have him. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Jan. 2026 Nearly 80% of Globus itineraries across Europe and North America offer Globus Choice Excursions, a new option that lets travelers choose their own adventures. Christine Sarkis, USA Today, 27 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for let
Recent Examples of Synonyms for let
Verb
  • Very cold air already in place will allow snow to accumulate quickly across the region, sticking to roads, bridges and untreated surfaces with little melting.
    Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The Revolutionary Guard holds vast business interest across Iran, and sanctions could allow its assets in Europe to be seized.
    SAM McNEIL AND JON GAMBRELL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Then came digital transformation, turning on-premises work such as marketing, commerce, or HR into digital services, often rented via remote cloud computing.
    Bipul Sinha, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Jones is happy to still be renting in Bristol.
    Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Their new approach enables micro- and nanoscale 3D fabrication using a wide range of materials, moving beyond polymers and opening new design possibilities.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Senior executives speak openly about the potential for better customer experience, better products, and fundamentally new business models enabled by AI.
    Peter Bendor-Samuel, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Phase 1 human clinical trials showed it was well tolerated, and Bakshi says early results in Phase 2, which is focused on both safety and efficacy, are promising.
    Ana Castelain, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Bovino’s departure seemed an admission that Minnesotans aren’t the only Americans who won’t tolerate more deaths at the hands of federal agents.
    Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • In addition to the giant uncertainty of hemp’s future, there are some serious obstacles for the cannabis industry to get over.
    Will Yakowicz, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
  • Leaders such as midfielder Andi Sullivan and goalkeeper Aubrey Kingsbury, who consistently fielded questions about the off-field obstacles, are still key parts of the team’s leadership in 2026.
    Emily Olsen, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The New York State Legislature is expected to consider a state constitutional amendment to permit mid-decade redistricting or further modifications to the 2014 state constitutional amendment that created new redistricting reforms.
    Jeffrey M. Wice, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Unexpected costs include permitting, inspections, and changes to your design plans.
    Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • His plan is for six townhouses to be leased at rates considered affordable for tenants earning just 60% of the area’s median income; another seven would be priced for people making up to 80% of that average.
    Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 30 Jan. 2026
  • About 91% of office buildings constructed since 2000 are leased.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • And ignoring that fact is now no longer a laughing matter.
    Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
  • All of these teens had in fact ignored their notices to appear.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Let.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/let. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

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