3 syllables: o, mi, ssion. Stress on mi.
/oʊˈmɪʃən/
Say it backOmission is the act of leaving something out, or the state of being omitted. In linguistics, it refers to the deliberate or accidental exclusion of sounds, words, or morphemes. It can affect meaning or fluency, especially in rapid speech or dialects where material is dropped. The term is common in editing, law, and grammar discussions.
- Common error 1: stressing the first syllable o-MI-sion. Correction: keep primary stress on mi: o-MI-sion, with clear /ɪ/ in the second syllable and a short /ən/ ending. - Common error 2: over-emphasizing the /ʃ/ or turning the ending into /ʃən/; maintain /ʃ/ followed by a light /ən/ with a relaxed jaw. - Common error 3: dropping the final /n/ in rapid speech; ensure a nasal release on the last syllable. - Tip: practice with minimal pairs: omission vs. opinion; Omission vs. emission can help you feel the difference in the vowel lengths and consonants. - You: slow and deliberate articulation helps you fix these patterns, then build speed.
"The omission of a key clause changed the contract’s meaning."
"In rapid speech, some unstressed vowels may be an omission."
"The editor noted several omissions in the manuscript."
Pronounce as /ˌɒˈmɪʃən/ in UK and /ˌɑːˈmɪʃən/ in US. The primary stress is on the second syllable: o-MI-sion. The first syllable has a low back vowel, the second uses a short /ɪ/ before /ʃ/. The final /ən/ is a reduced, unstressed schwa+n, with the n lightly articulated. You’ll want the /m/ and /n/ to be clearly distinguished for clarity. Audio reference: treat as a three-syllable word with a strong mid vowel in the middle and a soft ending.
Common errors: (1) Placing primary stress on the first syllable as o-MI- sion or om- with weak middle; (2) pronouncing the second syllable as /ɪʃən/ with a stronger /ʃ/ or misplacing the /m/; (3) omitting the final /n/ or making it a nasalized vowel. Correction: keep stress on the second syllable /ˈmɪʃən/ by raising the mid-vowel to /ɪ/ and ensuring /ʃ/ remains before /ən/. Practice saying o-MI-shən with clear /m/ and then lightly release /n/.
In General American, the word is /ˌɑːˈmɪʃən/ with rhotacism not affecting the syllable; stress on the second syllable. In Received Pronunciation (UK), /ˌɒˈmɪʃən/ with a shorter first vowel, less rhoticity; the /ɒ/ is a low back rounded vowel. Australian English keeps /ˌɒˈmɪʃən/ but may have a more centralized /ɪ/ and slightly more dental or palatal air before /ʃ/. Across all, the middle /mɪ/ remains stressed, final /ən/ remains a weak ending. контекст.
Two main challenges: (1) the secondary stress pattern: stressing the second syllable can feel atypical if you’re used to words with primary stress later in the word; (2) the /ɪ/ before /ʃ/ is short and clipped, which can cause you to blend with neighboring vowels or misplace the /ʃ/. Keep the mouth array open for /m/ and /ɪ/ before /ʃ/, then relax into /ən/ without prolonging the final nasal. Focus on keeping the middle syllable crisp.
Omission includes a subtle difference between the “mi” and “mish” block; you can accidentally assimilate /mɪ/ into a quick /mɪʃ/ if you rush. Unique nuance: the /ɪ/ in the second syllable should be quick and light, not a full vowel drawn out. You can feel the airflow cease momentarily before the /ən/ ending. Practice with a three-beat tempo to keep the alveolar /t/ in check.
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- US: /ˌɑːˈmɪʃən/ with a longer /ɑː/ and a more rounded mouth; the /ɪ/ is short and crisp. - UK: /ˌɒˈmɪʃən/ using a shorter /ɒ/ and less rhotic influence; keep /m/ clean and avoid over-aspiration. - AU: /ˌɒˈmɪʃən/ similar to UK, but with more flattening of vowels and a slightly longer /ɪ/ than UK in some speakers. IPA cues: keep /ˌ/ secondary stress leading to /ˈmɪ/; ensure the /ʃ/ is not conflated with /t/ or /s/.
Omission derives from the Latin omissio, from omittere meaning to send away, let go, or omit. Omittere is composed of the prefix of- (away, away from) + mittere (to send). The form omissio appeared in Medieval Latin in legal and scholastic contexts to denote the act of leaving out. In English, omission is attested by the 15th century, originally in legal or ecclesiastical discourse to mark the failure to include a clause or item. Over time, its use broadened to general writing and editing, linguistic contexts, and formal discourse about omissions in data or steps. The core sense—
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Help others use "omission" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "omission" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "omission" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "omission"
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
