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Glite Dictionary
to let it alone

to let it alone

2 3.0
Choose not to touch or change something
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : dejarlo en paz
  • Sometimes it’s wise to let it alone and not change what’s already working.
  • Just let it alone
  • So let it alone

Examples

  • Best to just let it alone.

    Blog text (33)

  • Trying to figure out why made his head hurt more, but he couldn't let it alone.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • So I will let it alone and talk about the house.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • "Will you please let it alone?"

    Fiction book (1997)

  • We should let it alone.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • "Just let it alone," he said.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Let's just let it alone.

    The New Kids (1985)

  • Hortense said, "I think we should let it alone."

    Fiction book (1994)

  • It's best to let it alone and not get involved in their argument.

  • If you want to avoid problems, just let it alone and move on.

Synonyms

to leave alone
vsto let it alone
∞ 2.3

To avoid touching and disturbing a person, animal or object

is the choice to refrain from interference rather than the act itself
to let it go
vsto let it alone
370 3.5

To choose not to react to something annoying

is broader, meaning to leave things undisturbed or unchanged
to stay out of it
vsto let it alone
56 3.8

To avoid getting involved in an argument or fight

is about not interfering with things rather than avoiding conflict
to keep one's hands off
vsto let it alone
42 3.6

Not to touch or interfere with something that belongs to someone else

is broader, including nonphysical noninterference and leaving unchanged
to let it be
vsto let it alone
33 4.1

Accept a situation without trying to change it

is about choosing not to disturb rather than accepting feelings
to leave it be
vsto let it alone
  • Informal
1 5.1

To let something stay as it is without changing it

is focused on the decision to avoid changing things
to let it ride
vsto let it alone
7.0

Allow a situation to continue without changing it

is the general phrase for leaving things undisturbed in many contexts

Antonyms

to interfere
487 3.5

To get involved in a situation and make things not work as they should

to disturb
183 2.1

Interrupt someone's quiet or stop them from resting

How Involved

to intervene
197 5.0
to interfere
487 3.5
to let it alone
2 3.0
to ignore
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

let it alone infinitive
let it alone past
let it alone past participle
letting it alone present participle
lets it alone third person singular

Morphology

let + it + alone

The meaning 'to leave something undisturbed' is directly compositional: 'let' = allow/leave, 'it' = the thing, and 'alone' = not together/without interference, so a learner who knows the words can infer the phrase. The construction 'let/leave X alone' is a common, regular combination in English (and paralleled in many languages), making it immediately understandable at B1.

Etymology

The phrase let it alone comes from the simple image of leaving something by itself: to let it be and leave it alone rather than touch or change it. So, it means 'to leave something undisturbed' or 'not to interfere'.