let down: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
HighInformal to Neutral
Quick answer
What does “let down” mean?
To fail to meet someone's expectations or provide needed support.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To fail to meet someone's expectations or provide needed support; to disappoint.
Can refer to literally lowering something (e.g., hair), but primarily a psychological/relational concept of betrayal or failure to fulfil an implicit or explicit promise.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both use the phrasal verb identically in its core meaning. The literal sense of lowering something is slightly more common in British English (e.g., 'let down a hem').
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Equally frequent and common in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “let down” in a Sentence
[Subject] let [Object/Pronoun] down.To feel let down by [someone/something].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “let down” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- I promised to help and I won't let you down.
- The team's performance let down the entire club.
American English
- Don't let me down on the day of the presentation.
- The new software update really let everyone down.
adverb
British English
- (Rarely used) The rope hung let-down from the pulley.
American English
- (Rarely used) He walked let-down after the rejection.
adjective
British English
- It was a very let-down feeling after all the excitement.
American English
- She had a let-down expression when she heard the news.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used regarding unmet targets, unreliable partners, or underwhelming product launches. 'The Q3 sales figures really let down the whole team.'
Academic
Less common; used in discussing theoretical or social expectations. 'The policy let down the very demographic it was designed to help.'
Everyday
Extremely common for personal relationships and expectations. 'I won't let you down on your birthday.'
Technical
Rare, except in specific contexts like engineering for literal lowering mechanisms.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “let down”
- Incorrect: 'He let down me.' Correct: 'He let me down.' (Pronoun objects must go between verb and particle)
- Incorrect: 'I felt let down from my friend.' Correct: 'I felt let down by my friend.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a separable phrasal verb. Pronouns MUST go between 'let' and 'down' (e.g., 'let me down'). Nouns can go in the middle or at the end ('let the team down' or 'let down the team'), though the former is more common.
'Let down' is more informal and often implies a personal promise or expectation of support was broken. 'Disappoint' is more general and can be used for impersonal things (e.g., 'The weather disappointed us').
Yes, but this is a literal and less common meaning, e.g., 'She let down the hem of her skirt.' The metaphorical meaning of 'disappoint' is far more frequent.
The noun is usually hyphenated: 'let-down'. It means a disappointment. Example: 'The cancelled concert was a real let-down.'
To fail to meet someone's expectations or provide needed support.
Let down is usually informal to neutral in register.
Let down: in British English it is pronounced /ˌlet ˈdaʊn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌlɛt ˈdaʊn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Don't let me down.”
- “It's a real let-down.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a rope holding you up. If someone 'lets it down', you fall - you're disappointed and unsupported.
Conceptual Metaphor
SUPPORT IS UP; DISAPPOINTMENT IS A FALL/DOWNWARD MOTION.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'let down' CORRECTLY?