negligent implies inattention to one's duty or business.
negligent about writing a note of thanks
neglectful adds a more disapproving implication of laziness or deliberate inattention.
a society callously neglectful of the poor
lax implies a blameworthy lack of strictness, severity, or precision.
a reporter lax about accurate quotation
slack implies want of due or necessary diligence or care.
slack workmanship
remiss implies blameworthy carelessness shown in slackness, forgetfulness, or neglect.
had been remiss in their familial duties
Examples of remiss in a Sentence
It would be remiss of me if I did not share with you the vital role God has played in my recovery.—Jennifer Howard, Undoing Time, 2001But if we do not address these complexities in the public arena, and in ways that are spatially theoretically grounded, we will be remiss in carrying out our scholarly and civic responsibilities.—Saul B. Cohen, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, December 1991"Well, Sally, I'm in fault, and I acknowledge it; I've been remiss; but I won't let tomorrow go by without stopping up them holes."—Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 1885
I would be remiss if I didn't tell you how much I appreciated the lovely gift.
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But, at this point, Edelman believes that advisers who value diversification as a strategy in their clients’ portfolio — eg, across asset classes, sectors, etc. — would be remiss not to recommend adding at least a small amount of digital asset exposure.—Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 7 June 2025 However, Martinez of Earthjustice noted that NOx is the single-largest category of emissions under the South Coast AQMD’s authority, and said that the agency would be remiss not to take action on it.—Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025 However, companies would be remiss to assume that simply partnering with a popular influencer is enough to sway consumers to purchase.—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025 Mas said that Messi was consulted during the coaching search, which lasted just a few days, and that team officials would be remiss not to seek the advice of arguably the greatest player of all time.—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for remiss
Word History
Etymology
Middle English remisse, borrowed from Latin remissus "relaxed, free from constraint, casual, lenient," from past participle of remittere "to send back, release, relax, ease off" — more at remit entry 1
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