letting

USAGE SUMMARY

"letting" is a perfectly correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it as a gerund verb to indicate an action or process. For example: "The landlord is letting the tenant stay in the apartment for an extra month without charging extra rent."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Had the bosses realized that they were in the transportation business, rather than the railroad business, they could have moved into trucking and air transport, rather than letting other companies dominate.

The Economist

I intend to continue listening to our clients and letting them influence how the business develops in the future.

The Guardian

In December 2014, the company rolled out improvements to its blocking function, and began letting users report abuse directed at others, as well as themselves.

The Guardian - Tech

Also, as this excellent Atlantic piece points out, there's a slightly uneasy "white saviour" theme throughout, best exemplified by a genuinely ghastly scene where the family tell the slaves that they're letting them go, everybody starts hugging and, quick as a flash, one of the freed women starts singing Amazing Grace.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

They'll be able to tell you whether the property suffers from things like damp, or whether the landlord or letting agent is easy to get hold of when issues arise.

The Guardian

What are they made of – plywood?" At the launch of the party's general election campaign at the Royal Society of Arts in London, Bennett was asked whether she was letting her party down with such media performances.

The Guardian

They often end up letting out a spare room to a friend and the ultra-low interest rates of the last five years can mean the rent their mates is paying them is more than their mortgage.

The Guardian - Opinion

Insiders say SBS is letting experienced staff go and hiring younger, cheaper ones to replace them.

The Guardian

The cost of letting failed states appear in Europe's east would be tremendous.

The Guardian - Opinion

Despite these problems, three quarters of students go into debt to cover the upfront costs of securing a student home, from deposits to letting agency fees.

The Guardian

Yet we still haven't heard from our political leaders about how they think letting Assad get away with what he is doing will contribute to any decent outcome, or to prevent more terrorist acts taking place in Europe.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "letting" to describe scenarios where someone is not preventing an action, rather than actively causing it. This emphasizes a passive role in the event.

Common error

Avoid using prepositions after "letting" when it's followed by an infinitive without 'to'. For example, it's correct to say "letting someone go" not "letting someone to go".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "letting" is as a gerund or present participle. It functions as a noun when describing the act of allowing, and as part of a continuous verb tense, indicating an ongoing action of permitting something. As Ludwig AI confirms, the word follows standard grammar rules.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "letting" functions primarily as a gerund or present participle, commonly used to express permission, allowance, or non-prevention. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, while examples from Ludwig show its prevalence in news and media. While generally neutral in register, it's less formal than alternatives like "permitting". Understanding its function and context is key to effective usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

allowing

Expresses permission or not preventing something from happening, similar to "letting" but can sound slightly more formal.

permitting

A more formal synonym for "letting", often used in official or legal contexts.

enabling

Focuses on providing the means or opportunity for something to occur, whereas "letting" is more about not hindering it.

authorizing

Implies giving formal approval or permission, a stronger connotation than simply "letting".

granting

Suggests bestowing a right or privilege, which is a more proactive form of "letting".

approving

Implies a judgment of acceptance or satisfaction before allowing something.

consenting to

Highlights the agreement or willingness to allow something.

giving leave

A somewhat archaic but still valid expression for granting permission.

giving the go-ahead

An idiomatic phrase indicating that permission has been granted to start or proceed.

not preventing

Focuses on the absence of obstruction rather than the active granting of permission.

FAQs

How can I use "letting" in a sentence?

"Letting" can be used to describe the act of permitting or allowing something. For example, "The teacher is letting the students use their notes on the exam."

What's a more formal alternative to "letting"?

Alternatives to "letting" include "allowing" or "permitting", which often suit more formal contexts.

Is there a difference between "letting" and "allowing"?

While similar, "letting" often implies a lack of obstruction, whereas "allowing" suggests a more active form of permission.

When should I use "letting" versus "making"?

"Letting" implies giving permission or not preventing something, while "making" implies causing or forcing something to happen. For example, "letting someone leave" versus "making someone leave."