remiss

adjective

ri-ˈmis How to pronounce remiss (audio)
Definition of remissnext
as in neglectful
failing to give proper care and attention I would be remiss if I didn't tell you how much I appreciated the lovely gift

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word remiss different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of remiss are lax, neglectful, negligent, and slack. While all these words mean "culpably careless or indicative of such carelessness," remiss implies blameworthy carelessness shown in slackness, forgetfulness, or neglect.

had been remiss in their familial duties

When can lax be used instead of remiss?

While in some cases nearly identical to remiss, lax implies a blameworthy lack of strictness, severity, or precision.

a reporter lax about accurate quotation

When is it sensible to use neglectful instead of remiss?

The words neglectful and remiss are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, neglectful adds a more disapproving implication of laziness or deliberate inattention.

a society callously neglectful of the poor

Where would negligent be a reasonable alternative to remiss?

While the synonyms negligent and remiss are close in meaning, negligent implies inattention to one's duty or business.

negligent about writing a note of thanks

When is slack a more appropriate choice than remiss?

In some situations, the words slack and remiss are roughly equivalent. However, slack implies want of due or necessary diligence or care.

slack workmanship

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of remiss But one exploring the historical sites and beauty of the United States would be remiss to fly over the significance of Middle America. — Usa Today Network, USA Today, 10 June 2026 Any visitor would be remiss not to order the iconic Oaxaca Old-Fashioned, which popularized mezcal in the United States. — Spencer Whaley, Forbes.com, 29 May 2026 Anyone eager to escape to Europe for the warmer months—and especially those who love to travel by boat—would be remiss not to take a peek at the exceptional itineraries on offer from Celestyal Cruises. — Hannah Chubb, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 June 2026 Red, white and blue Blue jeans are one of the few garments closely tied to American heritage, and denim brands would be remiss to miss the opportunity to capitalize on their connection to Americana. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for remiss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for remiss
  1. neglectful
  2. careless
  3. lazy
  4. negligent
Adjective
  • Parents could be accused of neglectful supervision if an underage child is left at home unattended.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2026
  • While not every nursing home fosters a neglectful or abusive environment, these conditions can thrive at facilities that are understaffed.
    — Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 9 June 2026
Definition of neglectful
Adjective
  • The Most The business owners who get burned in an exit are almost never careless.
    — Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
  • Still, multitasking can lead to careless errors, irritability or burnout, so take it easy.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026
Definition of careless
Adjective
  • And just like Alito, some members of my family have forgotten our history and support Trump or favor some of his immigration policies, dismissing new arrivals as criminals or lazy.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Today, the park operates more than 40 family-friendly water attractions including thrilling slides, casual pools and a lazy river.
    — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 29 June 2026
Definition of lazy
Adjective
  • Patricia Avila filed her civil suit against Brown in Los Angeles County Superior Court five years ago, suing the singer for premises liability, negligent infliction of emotional distress and strict liability.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Tumpa, her nephew, and Oro Recovery were also all accused of intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and invasion of privacy by public disclosure of private facts.
    — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026
Definition of negligent

Browse Nearby Words

reminiscing (about)
remiss
remissible
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Remiss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/remiss. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on remiss

Nglish: Translation of remiss for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gambol

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All