remit

American  

[ri-mit, ree-mit] / rɪˈmɪt, ˈri mɪt /

verb (used with object)

remitted, remitting

1. to transmit or send (money, a check, etc.) to a person or place, usually in payment.

   Synonyms:

   forward

   Antonyms:

   retain

2. to refrain from inflicting or enforcing, as a punishment, sentence, etc.

3. to refrain from exacting, as a payment or service.

4. to pardon or forgive (a sin, offense, etc.).

   Synonyms:

   overlook, excuse

   Antonyms:

   condemn

5. to slacken; abate; relax.

   to remit watchfulness.

   Synonyms:

   diminish

   Antonyms:

   increase

6. to give back.

   to remit an overpayment.

   Synonyms:

   restore, return

7. Law. to send back (a case) to an inferior court for further action.

8. to put back into a previous position or condition.

9. to put off; postpone; defer.

10. Obsolete. to set free; release.

11. Obsolete. to send back to prison or custody.

12. Obsolete. to give up; surrender.

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verb (used without object)

remitted, remitting

1. to transmit money, a check, etc., as in payment.

2. to abate for a time or at intervals, as a fever.

3. to slacken; abate.

noun

1. Law. a transfer of the record of an action from one tribunal to another, particularly from an appellate court to the court of original jurisdiction.

2. something remitted, as for further deliberation or action.

3. the act of remitting.

4. Chiefly British. the area of authority of a person or group.

remit British  

verb

1. (also intr) to send (money, payment, etc), as for goods or service, esp by post

2. law (esp of an appeal court) to send back (a case or proceeding) to an inferior court for further consideration or action

3. to cancel or refrain from exacting (a penalty or punishment)

4. (also intr) to relax (pace, intensity, etc) or (of pace or the like) to slacken or abate

5. to postpone; defer

6. archaic to pardon or forgive (crime, sins, etc)

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noun

1. the area of authority or responsibility of an individual or a group

   by taking that action, the committee has exceeded its remit

2. law the transfer of a case from one court or jurisdiction to another, esp from an appeal court to an inferior tribunal

3. the act of remitting

4. something remitted

5. a proposal from a branch of an organization put forward for discussion at the annual general meeting

Other Word Forms

• nonremittable adjective
• nonremittably adverb
• preremit verb (used with object)
• remittable adjective
• unremittable adjective

Etymology

Origin of remit

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English remitten, from Latin remittere “to send back, let go back, concede, allow,” equivalent to re- “again; back” + mittere “to send”; re-

Explanation

If you send your client a bill for your consulting services, be sure to include your address so he knows where to remit the payment. Remit means send back, and it has many uses. If you remit payment, you send it back to the person you owe it to. If you’ve been in prison for five years of a seven-year sentence but you’ve been on good behavior, a judge might remit the remainder of your sentence and let you go free.

Example Sentences

The countries are part of the office’s remit but supply little technology to the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

It said: "We are always willing to consider changes to our remit as determined by parliament."

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

But Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent—who has been leading the high-level talks with Beijing for the U.S.—refused to engage, the people said, maintaining that Taiwan wasn’t part of the trade remit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

Asad Ayaz, who is chief marketing and brand officer, has an influential remit across Disney’s various business segments.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

There was no fear of the pattyrollers checking every black person to see if he or she had the required remit, or pass, to be out alone.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

Related Words

• defer