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to let go

to let go

381 3.7
To stop worrying about something and relax
  • phrasal verb
  • /lɛt ɡoʊ/
translation icon : dejar atrás
  • Wisdom, according to Bonaventure, is knowing when to let go and to let love prevail.
  • let go of old ways
  • learn to let go
  • let go of the old

And if you do not let go and move forward in peace.

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Examples

  • You have to let me go.

  • The first phase is letting go of one's self and one's situation.

    Academic text (2007)
  • So my process to you is to let go and just let this be.

  • I gotta learn to let go of a lot of things.

  • It's about just letting go and just doing fun things.

  • I felt this need to let go of what I'd just been through.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The third quality of spiritual maturity is our ability to let go and start afresh.

    Academic text (1993)
  • To move forward in life, you need to let go of your fears and insecurities.

  • After her breakup, she found it hard to let go of the memories they shared.

  • He learned to let go of his anger, which improved his relationships with others.

Synonyms

to release
vsto let go
1.8

To let someone or something go free from being held

focuses more on inner relaxation and losing emotional hold rather than freeing physically
to withdraw
vsto let go
466 2.8

To stop taking part in a place or activity

is inward, focusing on ceasing worry or emotional ties rather than leaving places
to let go of
vsto let go
356 1.9

To stop holding something so it is not in your hand

is emotional or mental, meaning to relax or drop attachment rather than literal release
to put aside
vsto let go
103 3.4

To stop thinking about something for a short time

is deeper, meaning to relax emotionally or drop attachment entirely
to shake off
vsto let go
41 3.6

Make something unwanted go away, like an illness, a feeling, or a person following you

focuses more on calming down and losing emotional hold gradually
to unwind
vsto let go
35 3.4

Become relaxed and less tense after work or a stressful time

also includes stopping emotional attachment, not just physical relaxation
to wean
vsto let go
23 5.9

Gradually make someone stop depending on something they are attached to

is more immediate, meaning to relax or stop worrying sooner
to disassociate
vsto let go
16 7.0

To end a connection with a person, group, or idea

is more about personal relaxation or letting feelings go rather than formal exit
to let loose
vsto let go
  • Informal
12 3.9

Relax and enjoy yourself without worrying

is about personal calm and losing worry rather than freeing external control
to put away
vsto let go
4 3.4

To stop thinking about a worry or feeling

goes further, implying true emotional release or reduced attachment
to dissociate
vsto let go
3 6.7

To stop being involved with a person, group, or idea

is gentler, meaning to loosen worry or attachment rather than cut ties
to untether
vsto let go
1 6.2

To free someone or something from limits so they can act more freely

is narrower, centring on stopping worry and emotional loosening specifically
to unattach
vsto let go
1 7.5

To stop feeling close to someone or something

is similar but often less formal and more about easing worry
to unfeel
vsto let go
1 9.9

To try to remove an emotion from yourself, for example anger or sadness

is milder, meaning to relax and let worries fade rather than suppress feeling
to ungrip
vsto let go
7.5

To let go of a strong feeling or control that holds you back

is broader, meaning to stop worry or relax beyond just influence removal
to kick loose
vsto let go
  • Informal
8.1

To free yourself from a promise or duty that controls your life

is gentler, meaning to relax emotionally or stop worrying rather than escape duties

Antonyms

1.0

To feel nervous or afraid about possible problems

240 2.1

To hold on tightly to someone or something and not let go

How Relaxed

to let it all hang out
  • Informal
7 8.2
to let go
381 3.7
to relax
1.0
to calm down
  • Informal
594 1.4
tense
310 3.6

Surface Forms

let go infinitive
let go past
let go past participle
letting go present participle
lets go third person singular

Morphology

let + go

The literal combination 'let' (allow) + 'go' (leave) yields 'allow someone to leave,' so a B1 learner might infer a sense of releasing or permitting departure. However, the specific conventionalized employment meaning 'to dismiss/fire someone' is a metaphorical extension and not fully predictable from the constituents without prior exposure, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Let go may come from the picture of dropping a heavy bag or letting a balloon fly away. When you let your worries go, they leave you and you feel lighter, so the phrase means 'stop worrying'.