let on

verb

let on; letting on; lets on
Synonyms of let onnext

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

Synonyms of let on

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Examples of let on in a Sentence

she's not half as innocent as she likes to let on
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
If this has proved conflicting, Gibney does not let on, marching from sacred target to sacred target with little apparent tentativeness. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 The first report suggested that problems with the department’s gang officers were far more widespread than the department has publicly let on. — Hailey Wang, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 Here the impact of acetaldehyde becomes messier than the supplement ads let on. — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026 Yet, for all that seeming eagerness to mend the relationship, at least one Diamondbacks player let on about the mood in the clubhouse. — Marc Carig, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for let on

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

Rhymes for let on

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Browse Nearby Words

let off
let on
let one's guard down
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Let on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/let%20on. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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