noun
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something that has been omitted or neglected
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the act of omitting or the state of having been omitted
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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)
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Language and Grammar - Middle School
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Ethan Frome
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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.
The omission squares with Warsh’s reform agenda, which is largely about returning the Fed to the smaller, quieter institution it was before Bernanke grew its presence.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
But the track has a notable omission: the very instrument Roy Ayers was known for, the vibraphone.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
His omission from that England squad has lit a fire in Watkins that perhaps would not have been there had he been included.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
But this omission is a sign that, at least in Evie’s world, exercise isn’t about health at all and, in fact, health should be sacrificed for the goal of achieving their particular ideal of femininity.
From Salon • May 8, 2026
Some people might have been embarrassed at being caught in a lie of omission by a crude cop with a tattoo of a goat on his wrist, but it didn’t bother me.
From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson
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.
