let through: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to Informal
Quick answer
What does “let through” mean?
To allow someone or something to pass, proceed, or pass a barrier or checkpoint, often intentionally or by mistake.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To allow someone or something to pass, proceed, or pass a barrier or checkpoint, often intentionally or by mistake.
To allow information, a signal, or a competitor to pass unhindered; to fail to block, filter, or stop; to permit despite scrutiny.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. Usage patterns identical.
Connotations
Identical. Both imply a lapse in strictness or a conscious decision to permit passage.
Frequency
Equally common in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “let through” in a Sentence
SUBJECT let [OBJECT] through (PLACE/OBJECT)SUBJECT let through OBJECTOBJECT be let through (by SUBJECT)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “let through” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The goalkeeper was furious he'd let the ball through.
- Customs let the package through after inspection.
- I can't believe the bouncer let him through dressed like that!
American English
- The goalie let a soft goal through his legs.
- The firewall let a virus through.
- The teacher let a few spelling mistakes through in the final draft.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The spam filter let through several marketing emails.
Academic
The peer review process should not let through flawed methodology.
Everyday
Could you let the cat through the door?
Technical
The membrane lets through molecules of a certain size.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “let through”
- Incorrect: *She let him to through. Correct: She let him through.
- Incorrect: *The goalie was let a goal through. Correct: The goalie let a goal through.
- Incorrect word order in passive: *The mistake was let through the system. Better: The mistake was let through.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a separable phrasal verb. You can say 'let the package through' or 'let through the package', though the former is more common.
'Let through' focuses on the agent permitting passage. 'Get through' focuses on the entity succeeding in passing, often with difficulty. E.g., 'The guard let me through' vs. 'I managed to get through security'.
Yes, e.g., 'Only authorised personnel are let through this gate' or 'Several defective units were let through quality control'.
It is common in both. Literal: allowing physical passage. Figurative: allowing information, mistakes, or competitors to proceed where they might have been stopped.
To allow someone or something to pass, proceed, or pass a barrier or checkpoint, often intentionally or by mistake.
Let through is usually neutral to informal in register.
Let through: in British English it is pronounced /ˌlet ˈθruː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌlet ˈθruː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Let one through the gate”
- “Let a goal/ball through the legs (sports idiom)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a security guard letting someone THROUGH the gate. LET = allow, THROUGH = from one side to the other.
Conceptual Metaphor
BARRIERS ARE FILTERS; ALLOWING IS OPENING A GATEWAY.
Practice
Quiz
In a business context, 'let through' most commonly relates to: