let on

verb

let on; letting on; lets on

intransitive verb

1
: to make acknowledgment : admit
knows more than he lets on
2
: to reveal a secret
nobody let on about the surprise party
3
: pretend
let on to being a stranger

Examples of let on in a Sentence

she's not half as innocent as she likes to let on
Recent Examples on the Web 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 Only the nearby pallets of bottled water and stacks of diapers let on this is an emergency setup. Jessica Wakeman, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2024 Scars decorate the young man's head, hinting at a more difficult past than he, with his carefree smile, lets on. Fritz Schumann, Foreign Affairs, 24 Feb. 2016 Clark’s death was no less tragic or senseless but certainly less premeditated than Vance’s remarks might let on (the driver was convicted of vehicular homicide in May). Clare Malone, The New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for let on 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'let on.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1725, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of let on was in 1725

Dictionary Entries Near let on

Cite this Entry

“Let on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/let%20on. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

let on

verb
1
: admit sense 1b, reveal
don't let on that I told you
2
: pretend entry 1 sense 2
he's not as happy as he lets on

More from Merriam-Webster on let on

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