omit
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to not include something, either because you forgot or because you chose not to.
to exclude or leave something out, whether by design or through oversight. Transitive — requires a direct object.
Simple“Please check the list to make sure I didn't omit anyone's name.”
In context“The editor decided to omit the final chapter of the biography, arguing that it added little to the overall narrative arc.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
to fail to do something that you were supposed to do.
to neglect or fail to perform a duty or action. Often used in legal or formal contexts regarding obligations.
Simple“The company was fined because they omitted to report their earnings on time.”
In context“The defendant was found liable because he omitted to provide the necessary safety warnings required by federal regulations.”
UsageOften followed by an infinitive ('omitted to do something') in formal writing.
“Use the words “AND,” “OR,” or “NOT” to combine or omit keywords in your search.”
At least by 1422, from late Middle English omitten, borrowed from Latin omittō (“to let go”), from ob- + mittō (“to send”), but also had the connotations “to fail to perform” and “to neglect”.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.