remiss

American  

[ri-mis] / rɪˈmɪs /

adjective

1. negligent, careless, or slow in performing one's duty, business, etc..

   He's terribly remiss in his work.

   Synonyms:

   neglectful, slack, lax, thoughtless, derelict

2. characterized by negligence or carelessness.

   Synonyms:

   neglectful, slack, lax, thoughtless, derelict

3. lacking force or energy; languid; sluggish.

   Synonyms:

   slow, slothful, dilatory

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remiss British  

/ rɪˈmɪs /

adjective

1. lacking in care or attention to duty; negligent

2. lacking in energy; dilatory

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Related Words

See neglect.

Other Word Forms

• overremiss adjective
• overremissly adverb
• overremissness noun
• remissly adverb
• remissness noun

Etymology

Origin of remiss

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin remissus, past participle of remittere “to send back, slacken, relax”; remit

Example Sentences

The lawyer put it to Esther Davidson that if the allegations about patient safety concerns were true then it was "seriously remiss" of Dr Upton not to have reported them at the time.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2025

Having just written an entire article about the dangers of universalized single-cause explanations, though, I would be remiss in putting the blame for dysfunction and discontent entirely on the media.

From Slate • Dec. 19, 2024

I would be remiss in not asking you about working with your respective onscreen spouses, the great Lesley Manville and Sacha Baron Cohen.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 26, 2024

Still, though, It would be remiss to neglect to acknowledge that one of the film’s leads, Ortega, is a Hispanic actor, hailing from Mexican and Puerto Rican parentage.

From Salon • Sep. 15, 2024

One would be remiss to neglect the greatest unsolved mystery to strike the Yiddish stage, the fate of Molly Lewis.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny