Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

to leave someone to their own devices

idiom
tə liːv ˈsʌmwʌn tə ðɛr oʊn dɪˈvaɪsɪz
Definition
To allow someone to do something without any help or interference.
Examples
  • After a few hours of trying to help, I decided to leave her to her own devices and let her figure it out.
  • The teacher left the students to their own devices while they worked on their projects.
  • When the kids are left to their own devices, they often come up with creative games to play.
Meaning
When you leave someone to their own devices, you are letting them manage a situation by themselves, without offering assistance or guidance.
Synonyms
  • to let someone be
  • to abandon someone
  • to give someone freedom