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Glite Dictionary
🚪 To allow entry 🤝 To admit
to let in

to let in

252 1.0
Allow someone or something to enter a place
  • phrasal verb
  • /lɛt ɪn/
translation icon : dejar entrar
  • After checking the security, the guard finally let us in to the event.

Why don't you just let him in here, Corby boy?

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Examples

  • Uncle Bill, come on let me in.

    Moonshine County Express (1977)

  • The old woman wouldn't let me in the house. "Wait a minute," I said.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • And Google will for one day let anyone in the US buy Glass.

  • All right, I let you in when I needed space.

    LOL Podcast

  • The less we let in, the less we have to let go.

  • The boys in front of the line let Jack in ahead of them.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Amy, can you let me in?

    Back to Black (2024)

  • I'm surprised they let you in.

    Emmanuelle (2024)

  • Just let me in, Rupert.

    Bloodletting (1997)

  • I walked to the balcony, opened the sliding doors, and let in a gush of salty air.

    Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

to allow
vsto let in
∞ 1.0

To let something happen or let someone do something

is the specific phrasal form focused only on permitting entry
to have in
vsto let in
  • UK
210 4.5

Ask someone like a plumber to come to your home to do a job

is general permission to enter, not specifically for arranged services
to admit
vsto let in
188 1.6

Allow someone to enter a place

is the everyday phrasal wording for the same entry action
to allow in
vsto let in
172 1.3

Let someone or something enter a place

is the common phrasal form used for simple entry permission
to ask in
vsto let in
12 1.0

Invite someone to come into a room or house

is broader permission to enter and not necessarily an invitation
to intromit
vsto let in
  • Archaic
9.9

To let a person or thing enter a place

is the modern, commonly used phrase replacing that old form

Antonyms

to exclude
338 3.0

To keep someone or something out so they are not part of something

to bar
31 3.3

To officially prevent someone from entering or taking part

How Welcoming

to welcome
583 1.0
to ask in
12 1.0
to let in
252 1.0
to keep out
172 1.3

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

let + in

The meaning 'to allow admittance or membership' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'let' (to allow) with 'in' (into a space or group); the idea of permitting someone to come inside or be included follows ordinary compositional logic. This verb + preposition pattern is common cross-linguistically and would be readily understood by a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Let in comes from the simple image of opening a door or window: you let someone or fresh air in by moving them inside. So, it means 'to allow someone or something to enter a place'.