noun
-
something that has been omitted or neglected
-
the act of omitting or the state of having been omitted
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of omission
1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin omissiōn- (stem of omissiō ), equivalent to omiss ( us ) (past participle of omittere to let go; see omit) + -iōn- -ion; see mission
Explanation
If you make an omission, you leave something out. If you are a restaurant reviewer and you give a glowing review to a new restaurant but fail to mention that you own half of it, that's a significant omission. The noun omission comes from the verb, omit, which means to leave out. Omissions can be purposeful or a result of neglect. Was the omission of Aunt Suzy from your wedding invitation something you meant to do, or an accident? If you're cleaning the house but don't take out the garbage, you'll regret your omission when the garbage is stinking up the kitchen.
Vocabulary lists containing omission
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Language and Grammar - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Ethan Frome
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"In addition, the Defendant agrees that he will not protect any person or entity through false information or omission," it added.
From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026
She doesn’t seem to hold a grudge over her boyfriend’s omission, though.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Sellers may benefit from this omission, but that will hurt prospective buyers, Miller said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026
Few know how Joao Pedro handled his omission from the Brazil squad at the World Cup, where they were knocked out in the last 16 by Norway this summer.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
But one omission in the local newspaper article upset my father.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
She directed core participants to provide any corrections to errors or omissions by no later than 31 December.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
The apparent omissions are part of a pattern for Paxton.
From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2026
But investors can sue over “material” falsehoods and omissions, and they often do.
From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2026
The report was compiled by hand via letter-writing to organizations and officials throughout the U.S. and has some omissions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Despite the slanted nature of the news, we were glad to have it, and prided ourselves on reading between the lines and making educated guesses based on the obvious omissions.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
