let off: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1-B2 (Intermediate)Informal to Neutral. Common in spoken and everyday written English.
Quick answer
What does “let off” mean?
To excuse someone from punishment, duty, or a consequence.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To excuse someone from punishment, duty, or a consequence; to release or discharge something (e.g., pressure, a weapon).
To allow someone to alight from a vehicle; to permit a minor transgression without penalty; to cause something to emit or release (e.g., sound, gas, smell).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use all core meanings. 'Let off steam' is equally common. 'Let off the hook' is slightly more frequent in American English.
Connotations
Similar in both. The act of 'letting someone off' can imply either kindness or a lack of proper discipline, depending on context.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in British English in the context of transportation ('I'll let you off at the next stop').
Grammar
How to Use “let off” in a Sentence
[SUBJ] let [OBJ: PERSON] off ([PREP] [OBJ: PUNISHMENT/TASK])[SUBJ] let off [OBJ: THING]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “let off” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The judge let the first-time offender off with community service.
- We let off fireworks for Bonfire Night.
American English
- The cop let me off with just a warning.
- He let off a round from his rifle to scare the coyotes.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'The manager let him off with a warning about the missed deadline.'
Academic
Rare in formal writing. May appear in case studies about justice or psychology.
Everyday
'Can you let me off at the corner?' 'The police let her off with a ticket.'
Technical
In engineering: 'The valve lets off excess pressure.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “let off”
- Incorrect preposition: 'He was let off *from* his homework.' (Correct: 'let off his homework' or 'let off *from doing* his homework').
- Word order: 'They let off him.' (Correct: 'They let him off.')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, when the object is a person (or pronoun), it is separable: 'She let the student off' / 'She let him off.' When the object is a thing (e.g., steam, a firework), it is usually not separated: 'He let off steam.' NOT 'He let steam off.'
'Let off' primarily means to excuse from punishment or to discharge. 'Let go' means to release one's grip physically or to dismiss from a job. You 'let off' a firework; you 'let go' of a rope.
It is generally too informal for formal legal or academic writing. Prefer terms like 'excused', 'exonerated', 'discharged', or 'released' depending on the context.
No, it can be literal (releasing steam from a boiler) or figurative (releasing pent-up emotion or energy through activity).
To excuse someone from punishment, duty, or a consequence.
Let off: in British English it is pronounced /lɛt ɒf/, and in American English it is pronounced /lɛt ɔːf/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “let off steam”
- “let off the hook”
- “get let off lightly”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a strict teacher LETting a student OFF the punishment hook. The student gets to step OFF the platform of consequences.
Conceptual Metaphor
JUSTICE/PRESSURE AS A CONTAINER. 'Letting off' implies releasing someone/something from a confined state (a punishment, a build-up).
Practice
Quiz
In the sentence 'The judge let him off with a suspended sentence,' what is the closest meaning?