omission
C1formal
Definition
Meaning
The act of leaving something out or the thing that has been left out.
A failure to do something that one has a moral or legal obligation to do; an instance of neglecting a duty.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word can refer to both the act (leaving out) and the result (the thing left out). In legal contexts, it often contrasts with 'commission' (an act performed).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Slightly more frequent in formal British administrative/legal contexts.
Connotations
Neutral to negative; implies a mistake, oversight, or neglect.
Frequency
More common in written English than spoken; higher frequency in academic, legal, and technical registers.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
omission of [noun] from [noun]omission to [infinitive verb][noun]'s omission from [noun]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a sin of omission”
- “errors and omissions excepted (E&OE)”
- “more by omission than commission”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referring to missing details in a report, contract, or financial statement.
Academic
Discussing gaps in research, literature reviews, or methodological limitations.
Everyday
Noticing something left out of a list, story, or instructions.
Technical
In programming, the leaving out of code or a step in a process; in law, a failure to act.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The editor will omit the controversial paragraph.
- They omitted to mention the key safety warning.
American English
- The report omits any discussion of costs.
- She omitted to file the necessary paperwork.
adverb
British English
- The list was compiled omissively.
- He acted omissively rather than deliberately.
American English
- The form was filled out omissively, with many gaps.
- The policy was applied omissively.
adjective
British English
- The omitted details were crucial.
- An omissible clause in the contract.
American English
- The omitted data skewed the results.
- This step is omissible for basic users.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- There is an omission in your list. You forgot milk.
- The teacher found an omission in my homework.
- The most glaring omission from the guidebook was the lack of a map.
- His omission from the team surprised everyone.
- The article's omission of any opposing viewpoints made it seem biased.
- Failure to report the incident could be considered a serious omission of duty.
- The prosecutor argued that the defendant's omission to assist the victim constituted a crime.
- The study's methodological omissions limit the generalizability of its findings.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'Oh, mission' – you left out the 'oh' from your mission report, it's an omission.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/INFORMATION IS A COMPLETE OBJECT (a gap/hole in the object); DUTY IS A PATH (a step not taken on the path).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'опущение' (more for 'lowering' or 'dropping') for conceptual omissions. 'Упущение' or 'пропуск' are closer.
- Don't confuse with 'commission' (совершение действия). The legal/philosophical pair is 'act of commission vs. act of omission'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'omission' to mean a small, insignificant mistake (it's usually significant).
- Confusing 'omission' (leaving out) with 'emission' (sending out).
- Misspelling as 'ommision' (double m).
Practice
Quiz
In a legal context, an 'omission' is most closely associated with:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
An omission is a specific type of mistake where something is left out or not done. A mistake can be an incorrect action, while an omission is the absence of an action.
Rarely. It typically has a neutral or negative connotation (something important was missed). However, in editing, a deliberate omission can be positive if it improves clarity.
Use the pattern 'omission to [infinitive]' for a failure to act (formal), e.g., 'an omission to disclose information'. More commonly, use 'omission of [noun]', e.g., 'the omission of her name'.
It is usually countable (an omission, several omissions). The uncountable form refers to the general concept or act of omitting ('Omission is sometimes wiser than inclusion').