Meaning & use
omitted
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“omitted” is a form of “omit”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Did not include something in a piece of writing, a list or a plan, either on purpose or because of an oversight.
Grammar: Takes an object: she omitted the date. Also common in the passive: the date was omitted.
Patterns
- omit something from something
- something is omitted
The editor omitted two paragraphs from the final article to save space.
I accidentally omitted her name from the guest list.
Several key facts were omitted from the official report.
verbtransitiveformal
Failed to do something that you ought to have done, or chose not to do it.
Grammar: Followed by to + verb or an -ing form: he omitted to lock the door.
Patterns
- omit to do something
- omit doing something
He omitted to mention that the contract had already expired.
The nurse had omitted checking the patient's chart before the dose was given.
Word forms
| third person singular | omits |
|---|---|
| past tense | omitted |
| past participle | omitted |
| -ing form | omitting |
Common combinations
- omitted from the list
- Her name was omitted from the list of winners.
- deliberately omitted
- The author deliberately omitted the ending to leave readers guessing.
- accidentally omitted
- A zero was accidentally omitted from the price.
- conveniently omitted
- The brochure conveniently omitted any mention of the extra fees.
- omitted to mention
- She omitted to mention that she had met him before.
- be omitted altogether
- In the short version, the song's second verse is omitted altogether.
Synonyms and how they differ
- left out
- Left out is the everyday phrasal equivalent and works in casual speech, whereas omitted sounds more formal and written.
- excluded
- Excluded suggests a firm decision to keep something or someone out, while omitted can simply be an oversight.
- skipped
- Skipped suggests passing over a step or item quickly, often in a sequence, whereas omitted means it does not appear at all.
- neglected
- Neglected stresses failing to give proper attention or care, so it fits duties and tasks better than items on a list.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: omitted or emitted?
omitted vs emitted
Emitted means gave off, such as light, sound or fumes, as in 'the engine emitted smoke'. Omitted means left out.
Practice
The final report was criticized because several important findings had been ___ from the summary.
Choose one answer.
Omitted means left out, which fits findings missing from a summary. Emitted sounds similar but means given off, and admitted and permitted do not fit with the preposition from.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “omitted”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.