let up

become less strong or stop (rain, pressure, an activity)

B2

What does "let up" mean?

Something that 'lets up' stops being as strong, intense, or relentless as it was before. It is most commonly used to describe weather — rain, wind, or snow that finally slows down or stops — but it also works for any sustained force or pressure, such as pain, noise, or a heavy workload. The phrase often carries the sense that the intensity has been going on for too long, so when something finally lets up, there is a feeling of relief. Crucially, it is also used with a person as the subject to describe someone who never stops pushing, criticising, or demanding — 'she never lets up' suggests relentlessness. You will encounter it very frequently in the negative form, such as 'it just won't let up', which emphasises that the pressure or bad conditions are continuing without any break.

Examples

How to use it

subject (weather/force) + let up

The most common pattern, where a weather phenomenon or abstract force is the subject and 'let up' describes it becoming less intense.

The storm didn't let up for three days, and the roads were completely flooded.

it + let up (impersonal subject)

Use the impersonal 'it' as the subject when referring to weather in a general way, without naming the specific weather phenomenon.

It hasn't let up since this morning — we've been stuck inside all day.

person + let up

When a person is the subject, 'let up' describes someone who is relentlessly demanding, critical, or pressuring others and shows no sign of stopping.

My coach never lets up during training sessions — she pushes us to our absolute limits.

won't / doesn't + let up

Negative constructions are especially natural with 'let up' and emphasise that an unpleasant or intense situation shows no sign of easing.

The noise from the construction site won't let up until late evening, apparently.

wait for / hope for + subject + to let up

Use this pattern to express that someone is waiting or hoping for an intense situation to finally reduce in strength.

We waited for the traffic to let up before getting on the motorway.

Common Collocations

the rainthe windthe pressurethe painthe heatthe fighting

Common Mistakes

Adding a direct object

'Let up' is intransitive, meaning it never takes a direct object. You cannot place a noun or pronoun directly after it to describe what is being reduced.

✗ I wish the rain would let up itself. / The clouds finally let up the storm.
✓ I wish the rain would let up. / The storm finally let up.
Confusing 'let up' with 'give up'

'Give up' means to stop trying or abandon something completely, which is a much stronger meaning. 'Let up' only means a reduction or pause in intensity — it does not mean quitting.

✗ She was exhausted but she didn't let up trying to find a solution.
✓ She was exhausted but she didn't give up trying to find a solution. (OR: The pressure didn't let up even when she was exhausted.)
Using 'let up' with an emotional subject like 'calm down'

'Let up' describes an external force, situation, or a person's behaviour becoming less intense — not a person becoming less emotionally agitated. For emotions, 'calm down' is the natural choice.

✗ After the argument, he finally let up and felt much better.
✓ After the argument, he finally calmed down and felt much better. (OR: After the argument, the tension finally let up.)

Usage

Let up is neutral in register and works in both spoken and written English. It is especially common in the negative ('it just won't let up') and in weather contexts with impersonal 'it' as the subject.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can 'let up' be used in the passive form?

No — 'let up' cannot be used in the passive because it is intransitive and has no object. You cannot say 'the pressure was let up'. Instead, the subject of the sentence is always the thing or person that becomes less intense, for example: 'The pressure finally let up.'

Why is 'it' so often the subject of 'let up'?

In English, weather is often described using the impersonal 'it' as a dummy subject — 'it's raining', 'it's cold', and so on. Since 'let up' is so commonly used for weather, you will very often hear 'it hasn't let up' or 'will it ever let up?' without specifying exactly what 'it' refers to. The context (rain, snow, wind) is usually already clear.

Does 'let up' mean the intensity stops completely, or just reduces?

It can mean either, depending on context. 'The rain let up' often implies it stopped or reduced enough to no longer be a problem. 'She never lets up' suggests there is no reduction at all. The negative form — 'it won't let up' — emphasises that the intensity is continuing without any break.

What kinds of things can be the subject of 'let up'?

The most natural subjects are weather phenomena (rain, snow, wind, a storm), physical sensations (pain, heat, cold), and abstract forces or conditions (pressure, tension, the fighting, the noise, the workload). A person can also be the subject when they are described as relentlessly demanding or critical, as in 'my boss never lets up'.

Is there a difference between 'let up' and 'ease up'?

'Let up' and 'ease up' are very close in meaning and often interchangeable. However, 'let up' tends to focus on an unrelenting force that finally reduces or stops, while 'ease up' more often suggests a gradual softening. Another difference is that 'ease up' can be directed at a person — you can tell someone to 'ease up on him', meaning to be less harsh — but you cannot use 'let up' in this way.

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