as in to pretend
to take on a false or deceptive appearance
she's not half as innocent as she likes to let on
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Recent Examples of let on
Around Notre Dame, Leonard didn’t let on how hard the transition had been.
—
Pete Sampson, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
However, several weeks and a toxicology report later, Elvis Presley’s cause of death was confirmed—and the results weren’t quite as simple as Francisco let on.
—Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 9 Oct. 2024
Only the nearby pallets of bottled water and stacks of diapers let on this is an emergency setup.
—Jessica Wakeman, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2024
Scars decorate the young man's head, hinting at a more difficult past than he, with his carefree smile, lets on.
—Fritz Schumann, Foreign Affairs, 24 Feb. 2016
See all Example Sentences for let on 
Pete Sampson, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
However, several weeks and a toxicology report later, Elvis Presley’s cause of death was confirmed—and the results weren’t quite as simple as Francisco let on.
—Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 9 Oct. 2024
Only the nearby pallets of bottled water and stacks of diapers let on this is an emergency setup.
—Jessica Wakeman, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2024
Scars decorate the young man's head, hinting at a more difficult past than he, with his carefree smile, lets on.
—Fritz Schumann, Foreign Affairs, 24 Feb. 2016
See all Example Sentences for let on
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Cite this Entry
“Let on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/let%20on. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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