How to pronounce let
Say it like LET. Let is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce let. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- LET
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Let pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- LETSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of let
American and British speakers say let in essentially the same way: /lɛt/ in the US and /lɛt/ in the UK.
British respelling: LET.
What does let mean?
- make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen“This permits the water to rush in”“This sealed door won't allow the water come into the basement”
- actively cause something to happen“I let it be known that I was not interested”
- consent to, give permission“She permitted her son to visit her estranged husband”“I won't let the police search her basement”
- a brutal terrorist group active in Kashmir; fights against India with the goal of restoring Islamic rule of India“Lashkar-e-Toiba has committed mass murders of civilian Hindus”
- a serve that strikes the net before falling into the receiver's court; the ball must be served again
Where does let come from?
Cognate with Scots lat, lete (“to let, leave”), Yola leth (“let”), North Frisian leet, let, lätje (“to let”), Bavarian låssn (“to let”), Dutch, Low German laten (“to let, leave”), German lassen, laßen (“to let, leave, allow”), Luxembourgish
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with let
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of let.
Questions about saying let
How do you pronounce let?
Say LET. The American pronunciation is /lɛt/. In British English it is /lɛt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in let?
Let is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: LET.
Do Americans and Brits say let the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /lɛt/ and the British form is /lɛt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.