1
as in defective
having a fault
that engine noise indicates that something is clearly amiss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wrong
not appropriate for a particular occasion or situation
official recognition would not be amiss after that spectacular effort
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in incorrectly
in a mistaken or inappropriate way
I hope that my suggestion that you might be more comfortable in a larger chair was not taken amiss
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in awry
off the desired or intended path or course
the reenactment of the Wright Brothers' first flight went amiss when the wind died on the makeshift runway and the plane stopped short in a mud puddle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of amiss
Janie Har, Fortune, 11 Dec. 2025
First of all, the best indicator of something amiss with your child’s development is…your child.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 10 Dec. 2025
Leah Asmelash, CNN, 21 Aug. 2019
This connectivity can provide a sense of brain organization, and there's a growing body of evidence that this organization goes amiss in those with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.
—Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, 12 Apr. 2018
See All Example Sentences for amiss
Adjective
Waymo, which is owned by Google’s parent company, Alphabet, declined to elaborate on how the vehicle knew something was amiss.
—Janie Har, Fortune, 11 Dec. 2025
First of all, the best indicator of something amiss with your child’s development is…your child.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 10 Dec. 2025
Adverb
The whole incident -- from realizing something was going amiss to hitting the water -- only lasted one or two minutes.
—Leah Asmelash, CNN, 21 Aug. 2019
This connectivity can provide a sense of brain organization, and there's a growing body of evidence that this organization goes amiss in those with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.
—Diana Gitig, Ars Technica, 12 Apr. 2018
See All Example Sentences for amiss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for amiss
Adjective
-
The team would never have spotted them just by analyzing a defective bottle.—
Nicola Twilley,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Building on earlier biochemical discoveries, researchers administered a CoQ10 precursor that bypasses the defective step in the energy-production pathway.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The candidacy challenge contends that Wilcox used the wrong form to file for office in December and left off information that was required.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2026
-
An Amazon driver accompanied by her 16-year-old son came under fire after accidentally stopping at the wrong house in rural North Carolina, according to investigators.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Well, even though air-drying clothes on a drying rack has many benefits (especially for the planet), experts agree that line-drying incorrectly can start a big mold problem within and behind your walls.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
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The last major round of protests came in 2022, spurred by the death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by the theocratic government's forces for allegedly wearing her headscarf incorrectly.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Now, but as the statistics and figures come in here in Minneapolis, there's double-digit drops in crime, coupled with a lot of bad people and bad things being taken off of your streets.—
Esme Murphy,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Under President Biden, the FTC and DOJ slowed large transactions, suggesting that all big businesses were bad businesses.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Everything was really incorrect for the period—shiny, sparkly, overdone—but the actual shapes and silhouettes of his clothes are quite accurate.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Avoid harsh or incorrect cleaners and follow manufacturer guidance to protect coatings, airflow, and internal components.—
Katie Cloyd,
Martha Stewart,
10 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
The next day, in an email, Wynn appears to explain, blaming a dollar figure for teachers’ benefits that was mistakenly counted twice.—
Jennifer Palmer,
Oklahoma Watch,
9 Jan. 2026
-
It is thought the United States was notified before its first use in late 2024, to ensure it was not mistakenly assessed to be a nuclear launch.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
How do the Chiefs fall behind that badly in any passing statistic when Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback throwing the football?—
Sam McDowell
January 9,
Kansas City Star,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The area was badly burned, but still Simpson noticed green sprouts peeking out of the ashy soil and from the branches of trees that the average passerby might assume were dead.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The no-cloning theorem has presented a major challenge for quantum researchers, who have sought to overcome it with solutions such as imperfect cloning and probabilistic cloning, which uses the broadcasting of mixed states.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
-
In Relationship Goals, his character’s transformation is sincere, but imperfect at times.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Amiss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/amiss. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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