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Preposition after adjective

Remiss in or remiss of?

Remiss is normally followed by in when talking about a duty, action, or area where someone failed to act carefully or responsibly.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows remiss?

The standard pattern is remiss in + activity, duty, or action. Remiss of is uncommon in current English and is usually avoided.

The manager was remiss in reporting the safety issue.
We would be remiss in ignoring the data.
She was remiss in checking the final figures.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
remiss in + activity

Showing failure in a duty or action

Use remiss in to describe negligence or lack of care in doing something.

He was remiss in updating the records.
The company was remiss in protecting customer data.
2
remiss in + noun

Talking about an area of responsibility

The noun after in often names the responsibility that was neglected.

The agency was remiss in its oversight duties.
She felt remiss in her responsibilities as a mentor.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
remiss in
They were remiss in responding to complaints.
Standard pattern for negligence or failure in an action or duty.
remiss of
The phrase remiss of is rare and usually avoided in modern English.
Generally nonstandard or outdated as a direct complement after remiss.
remiss about
He was remiss about paying invoices on time.
About can introduce the topic, but it is not the fixed adjective pattern.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using remiss of as the main pattern

Modern English normally uses remiss in.

✕ She was remiss of checking the report. ✓ She was remiss in checking the report.

Using a bare infinitive after remiss

Use in with a noun or gerund.

✕ They were remiss to notify staff. ✓ They were remiss in notifying staff.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The editor was remiss ___ verifying the references.
2. We would be remiss ___ ignoring these risks.
3. Which phrase is the standard modern pattern?

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say remiss of?

It is uncommon and usually avoided in modern standard English. Remiss in is the preferred form.

What follows remiss in?

A gerund, noun, or noun phrase describing the neglected duty or action usually follows.

Is remiss formal?

Yes. It is more common in formal, professional, and written contexts.

racist-in-against-for-to, towards "radical in" or "radical for"? rampant in, among, with, on or throughout? "rare in" or "rare for"? "rational for" or "rational in"? "raw in", "raw for" or "raw with"? reachable by, from, on, in or through? "reactive to", "reactive rather" or "reactive in"? ready for, to, in, at or by? "realistic about" or "realistic in"? "real to", "real for" or "real in"? rearing of, as or on?

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