let down

2 meanings

Meanings
  1. 1 disappoint someone by not doing what they expected B2
  2. 2 make a piece of clothing longer B2
1 let sb down

disappoint someone by not doing what they expected

B2

What does "let down" mean in this sense?

To let someone down means to disappoint them by not doing what they expected or hoped you would do. It often involves failing to keep a promise, not showing up when needed, or simply not performing as well as others were counting on you to. The disappointment usually comes from a sense of broken trust — the other person believed in you and you didn't come through. It can describe a single moment (missing an important deadline) or a pattern of behaviour (always cancelling plans). Importantly, the object must be a person or group — you let down a friend, a team, or yourself, not a physical thing.

Examples

How to use it

let + pronoun + down

When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'let' and 'down' — this is the most natural and common pattern.

She promised to help with the presentation, but she let us down completely.

let + noun + down

Short noun objects (a name, a group) also commonly appear between 'let' and 'down'.

He let the team down by missing the final practice before the competition.

let + noun + down + adverb

The adverb 'badly' is frequently added after 'down' to intensify the level of disappointment.

The contractor let the clients down badly by failing to finish the work on time.

feel/be let down (by + noun)

The passive form 'let down' is commonly used as an adjective after 'feel' or 'be', often followed by 'by' to say who or what caused the disappointment.

Many fans felt let down by the band's last-minute decision to cancel the concert.

let + reflexive pronoun + down

You can use a reflexive pronoun to say someone has failed to live up to their own standards.

I knew I had let myself down by not preparing properly for the interview.

Common Collocations

let someone down badlylet the team downfeel let downlet your family downlet yourself downdon't let me down

Common Mistakes

Pronoun placed after 'down'

Pronoun objects like me, him, her, us, and them must go between 'let' and 'down', never after 'down'. This is one of the most common errors learners make with this phrasal verb.

✗ He let down me when I needed him most.
✓ He let me down when I needed him most.
Using a clause as the object

'Let down' requires a person or group as its object. You cannot follow it directly with a 'that' clause or similar structure to describe what went wrong.

✗ He let down that he didn't finish the report.
✓ He let everyone down by not finishing the report.
Confusing 'let down' with 'put down'

'Put someone down' means to criticise or belittle them with words, whereas 'let someone down' means to disappoint them through inaction or failure to meet expectations — these are quite different meanings.

✗ She was really put down when her colleague didn't support her proposal.
✓ She was really let down when her colleague didn't support her proposal.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both spoken and written English. In British English, 'let the side down' is a very common fixed expression meaning to disappoint your group or team.

2 let sth down

make a piece of clothing longer

B2

Sense 2: What does "let sth down" mean?

To let down a piece of clothing means to make it longer by releasing fabric that has been folded up or stitched at the hem. This is a tailoring or sewing task — someone unfolds the extra fabric at the bottom of a garment so that it hangs lower. You might let down a dress, a pair of trousers, a skirt, or even curtains. It's the opposite of taking something up (making it shorter). The phrase is particularly common in British English, used in conversations with tailors or when a parent adjusts a child's clothing after a growth spurt.

Examples

How to use it

let + object (garment) + down

The most common pattern, where the garment or part of it (such as the hem) is placed between 'let' and 'down'.

She let the hem down so that the skirt reached her knees.

let + it/them + down

When using a pronoun to refer to the garment, it must go between 'let' and 'down' — it cannot follow 'down'.

The trousers were too short, so the tailor let them down by an inch.

garment + need + letting down

This construction with 'need' and the -ing form is very natural and common when describing clothing that requires alteration.

His school trousers need letting down again — he's grown so much this year.

have + garment + let down

Use this pattern when someone arranges for a professional to do the alteration rather than doing it themselves.

I'm going to have this coat let down before winter — it's too short for me.

garment + be + let down (passive)

The passive is natural here, especially when describing a garment that has already been altered.

The dress was let down by the seamstress the week before the ceremony.

Common Collocations

let down the hemlet down a dresslet down trouserslet it downneed letting downlet down a skirt

Common Mistakes

Confusing 'let down' with 'let out'

'Let down' makes a garment longer; 'let out' makes it wider. They are both tailoring terms but affect different dimensions, so they are not interchangeable.

✗ The waist was too tight, so she let down the seams at the sides.
✓ The waist was too tight, so she let out the seams at the sides.
Pronoun placed after 'down'

When you use a pronoun instead of naming the garment, it must go between 'let' and 'down', not after 'down'.

✗ The hem was too short, so the tailor let down it.
✓ The hem was too short, so the tailor let it down.
Using the present continuous

'Let down' in the tailoring sense describes a deliberate, completed task rather than an activity in progress, so the present continuous sounds unnatural. Use the present simple, past simple, or 'need letting down' instead.

✗ She is letting down the dress right now.
✓ She is going to let the dress down this afternoon. / The dress needs letting down.

Usage

This sense is more common in British English than American English, often used in everyday conversations about clothing alterations or with a tailor. The construction 'needs letting down' (with a gerund) is very natural: 'The hem needs letting down.'

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'let down' be used in the passive?

Yes, the passive is very natural with this phrasal verb. You'll often hear or read structures like 'I felt let down' or 'they were badly let down by the company'. It's particularly common when someone wants to express their personal experience of disappointment.

Does 'let down' always mean to disappoint someone?

Not always — 'let down' has other meanings in English, such as lowering something physical (letting down a hem on a dress) or deflating something (letting down a tyre). However, when the object is a person or group, it reliably means to disappoint them. A separate section on this page covers the other senses.

What does 'let the side down' mean?

'Let the side down' is a fixed expression, especially common in British English, meaning to disappoint the group you belong to — your team, colleagues, or community. It originally came from team sports but is now used in everyday and professional contexts.

Can I say 'he is letting me down' in the present continuous?

It's grammatically possible but sounds unnatural in most situations. 'Let down' typically describes a completed failure or a general pattern of behaviour, so the simple past ('he let me down') or present perfect ('he has let me down') are far more common choices.

Can I use 'let down' to talk about disappointing yourself?

Yes — using a reflexive pronoun is perfectly natural here. You might say 'I let myself down' when you feel you didn't perform as well as you know you could have. It's a common way to express personal regret about your own performance or choices.

Is 'let down' used in American English for clothing alterations?

This tailoring sense of 'let down' is much more common in British English. American English speakers are more likely to say 'lengthen' or describe what they want done more directly. If you're writing for or speaking to an American audience, 'lengthen the hem' may be clearer.

What kinds of things can you 'let down'?

The object is always a garment or part of a garment — for example, the hem, a dress, trousers, a skirt, a coat, jeans, or even curtains. You can also specify how much: 'let it down two inches'. The object is never a person in this sense.

How is 'let down' different from 'take up' in sewing?

'Let down' and 'take up' are opposites in clothing alterations. 'Let down' makes a garment longer by releasing folded fabric, while 'take up' makes it shorter by folding and stitching the hem higher. A tailor might take up a dress that's too long, or let it down if it's too short.

Why does 'She let down the dress' not mean she disappointed the dress?

Context makes the two senses of 'let down' very clear. When the object is a garment or part of a garment (like a hem or skirt), the sentence is about making it longer. When the object is a person, it means to disappoint them. There is no ambiguity in practice because dresses cannot be disappointed.

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