omission

noun

omis·​sion ō-ˈmi-shən 

ə-

1

a

: something neglected or left undone

There are a few omissions in the list.

b

: apathy toward or neglect of duty

The police officer was reprimanded for the omission of his duty to inform the suspect of his rights.

2

: the act of omitting : the state of being omitted

Her omission from the team was surprising.

Synonyms of omission

• deletion

Examples of omission in a Sentence

There are a few omissions in the list.

the disk contains a selection of deleted scenes, and a couple of the omissions greatly add to the intelligibility of the movie's plot

Recent Examples on the Web

While the re-edited version is only four to five minutes shorter, omissions, additions, and restructuring supply a better narrative flow between the concurrent story threads. — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 24 July 2026

That’s vastly preferable to their endless, agonizing string of errors of omission. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 24 July 2026

But as the risks posed by climate change have become more acute, this omission has limited the National Climate Assessment’s usefulness for leaders in business and government who might want – or need – to use it. — Joe Árvai, The Conversation, 22 July 2026

Courtesy of Jodi Ettenberg The first omission was that these cards didn’t list the risk of foods having cross-contact (sometimes referred to as cross-contamination) with foods containing gluten. — Michele Herrmann, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English omissioun, from Anglo-French omission, from Late Latin omission-, omissio, from Latin omittere

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for omission

• addition
• admission
• ambition
• attrition
• audition
• clinician
• cognition
• coition
• commission
• condition
• contrition
• dentition

Kids Definition

omission

noun

omis·​sion ō-ˈmish-ən 

ə-

1

: something omitted

2

: the act of omitting : the state of being omitted

Legal Definition

omission

noun

omis·​sion ō-ˈmi-shən 

1

: something neglected, left out, or left undone

2

: the act, fact, or state of leaving something out or failing to do something especially that is required by duty, procedure, or law

liable for a criminal act or omission