使 is used in written Chinese, while 让 is in spoken Chinese more often...
in your examples, both 让 and 使 mean "cause, bring out certain results"
and 让 can be used as a verb.
eg. 让他走吧。Let him go.
Negative form: 别让他走。 Don't let him go. 他不让我走。He doesn't allow me leave.
I don't suggest you try to relate certain English words with Chinese characters, it's fun though....try to think in Chinese, 别让 English interfere with it.