Omits

Omits is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb omit, meaning to leave out or exclude something deliberately or unintentionally. The word derives from Latin omittere, to send away or neglect, via Old French omettre. In use, omits describes a deliberate exclusion in editing, writing, speech, or reporting, as in The editor omits redundant details.

Omit is a transitive verb, taking a direct object. The form omits is used with a plural or singular subject in the present tense, while omitted serves as the past tense and past participle, and omitting as the present participle. A sentence such as The report omits the source of funding illustrates its typical usage. Negation is formed with do/does not omit.

Context matters for omitting information. In writing and journalism, omissions can improve clarity and conciseness but may also raise questions about completeness, bias, or transparency. Ethical standards in some fields emphasize avoiding material omissions that could mislead readers or distort meaning, while technical or literary contexts may legitimately omit extraneous details.

Related terms include omission (the act or instance of omitting), omitted (describing something that has been left out or removed), and omitting (the gerund or present participle form). The concept of omission appears across disciplines such as literature, law, data reporting, and communication, where careful consideration is given to what is included or excluded and why.