Remiss

hardNegative tone

rih-MIS

adjective

Definition

Lacking care or attention to duty; negligent

Memory hook

RE-MISS: you MISSED doing something you should have done - slacking on your duty.

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Word roots

remissusslackened(Latin)
remittereto let go(Latin)

Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.

Examples

I would be remiss if I didn't thank everyone who helped.
The manager was remiss in not addressing the problem sooner.

Test yourself

Fill in the blank with the right word:

I would be ______ if I didn't thank everyone who helped.
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remiss

Synonyms

negligentderelictlaxslack

Antonyms

Categories

View all Negligence words

GRE Tip

Remiss is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "negligent" or "derelict" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "diligent".

Read: How to Memorize GRE Words That Actually Stick

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