remit

American  

[ri-mit, ree-mit] / rɪˈmɪt, ˈri mɪt /

verb (used with object)

remits, present (3rd person singular) remitted, past participle, past remitting present participle

1. to transmit or send (money, a check, etc.) to a person or place, usually in payment.

   Synonyms:

   forward

   Antonyms:

   retain

2. to refrain from inflicting or enforcing, as a punishment, sentence, etc.

3. to refrain from exacting, as a payment or service.

4. to pardon or forgive (a sin, offense, etc.).

   Synonyms:

   overlook, excuse

   Antonyms:

   condemn

5. to slacken; abate; relax.

   to remit watchfulness.

   Synonyms:

   diminish

   Antonyms:

   increase

6. to give back.

   to remit an overpayment.

   Synonyms:

   restore, return

7. Law. to send back (a case) to an inferior court for further action.

8. to put back into a previous position or condition.

9. to put off; postpone; defer.

10. Obsolete. to set free; release.

11. Obsolete. to send back to prison or custody.

12. Obsolete. to give up; surrender.

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verb (used without object)

remits, present (3rd person singular) remitted, past participle, past remitting present participle

1. to transmit money, a check, etc., as in payment.

2. to abate for a time or at intervals, as a fever.

3. to slacken; abate.

noun

1. Law. a transfer of the record of an action from one tribunal to another, particularly from an appellate court to the court of original jurisdiction.

2. something remitted, as for further deliberation or action.

3. the act of remitting.

4. Chiefly British. the area of authority of a person or group.

remit British  

verb

1. (also intr) to send (money, payment, etc), as for goods or service, esp by post

2. law (esp of an appeal court) to send back (a case or proceeding) to an inferior court for further consideration or action

3. to cancel or refrain from exacting (a penalty or punishment)

4. (also intr) to relax (pace, intensity, etc) or (of pace or the like) to slacken or abate

5. to postpone; defer

6. archaic to pardon or forgive (crime, sins, etc)

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noun

1. the area of authority or responsibility of an individual or a group

   by taking that action, the committee has exceeded its remit

2. law the transfer of a case from one court or jurisdiction to another, esp from an appeal court to an inferior tribunal

3. the act of remitting

4. something remitted

5. a proposal from a branch of an organization put forward for discussion at the annual general meeting

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonremittably
  adverb
• preremit
  verb (used with object)
• unremittable
  adjective
• nonremittable
  adjective
• remittable
  adjective

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has remitted
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have remitted
  perfect
• have been remitting
  perfect progressive
• has been remitting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are remitting
  progressive
• is remitting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am remitting
  progressive 1st person singular
• remits
  singular 3rd person
• remitting
  participle

Past

• had remitted
  perfect
• were remitting
  progressive plural
• was remitting
  progressive singular
• had been remitting
  perfect progressive
• remitted
  simple
• remitted
  participle

Future

• will remit
  simple
• will have remitted
  perfect
• will have been remitting
  perfect progressive
• will be remitting
  progressive

Etymology

Origin of remit

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English remitten, from Latin remittere “to send back, let go back, concede, allow,” equivalent to re- “again; back” + mittere “to send”; see re-

Explanation

If you send your client a bill for your consulting services, be sure to include your address so he knows where to remit the payment. Remit means send back, and it has many uses. If you remit payment, you send it back to the person you owe it to. If you’ve been in prison for five years of a seven-year sentence but you’ve been on good behavior, a judge might remit the remainder of your sentence and let you go free.

Example Sentences

Recently, however, Rossetti’s remit had included statements on UFOs.

From Slate • Jun. 8, 2026

Two decades later, finding balance is his urgent remit as the chief financial officer at Anthropic in today’s blistering race to develop AI.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

In a letter responding to Brickell last week, the Electoral Commission said: "We will give this our full consideration, undertaking a review under our regulatory remit."

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

Since starting in late 2024, Lieberman has had a wide remit, overseeing the company’s marketing and products, spanning beverages to packaged coffee.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

There was no fear of the pattyrollers checking every black person to see if he or she had the required remit, or pass, to be out alone.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

Related Words

• defer