a significant oversight

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a significant oversight" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase when referring to an important mistake that was made or when something important was forgotten. For example, "The failure to include a mention of the company's core values in the company mission statement was a significant oversight."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Really, this is a significant oversight.

Independent

We suggest that the IPCC take seriously the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee report (March 2009) which said "the absence of feedback from those who have had direct experience of dealing with the IPCC is a significant oversight…" and the lack of "specialised external scrutiny of the IPCC's investigations or appeals".

The Guardian - Opinion

They result from endless hours of archival work and editorial scrutiny, and the fact that Mr. McGrath did not even mention Mr. Miller, a professor of English at the University of Connecticut and a distinguished author in his own right, in passing is a significant oversight.

The New York Times

Though Ms. McCaskill still has plenty of time to dress her wounds — and has proven adept at surviving controversy in the past — political strategists in both parties were mystified at how she could have allowed such a significant oversight, particularly given that Republicans have been focusing attention on the plane for years.

The New York Times

While Somalis from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti often have affective ties to Somalia, and perhaps even close relations living there, the fact that about one-quarter of the Somali diaspora can identify its homeland, in terms of birth or ancestry, outside of Somalia constitutes a significant oversight in analyses to date.

Comparative Migration Studies

While all of these things are essential there is a significant oversight -- recruits are not trained how to talk to people.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

Although all lawyers violate the rules sometimes, prosecutors violate the rules often, often with impunity, and without any significant oversight or accountability.

Huffington Post

But the bug was nonetheless a fairly significant oversight, and one that brought a lot of derision from the user community and media.

TechCrunch

The new app also has a somewhat significant oversight: The app doesn't enable uploading of video content, which means that filmmakers and mime artists will have to go elsewhere for an app to show off their trade.

TechCrunch

Given the remarkable advances achieved by rail travel over recent years, given the administration's clear focus on diminishing the nation's carbon footprint, this appears to be a particularly significant oversight, and raises troubling questions on the whole process.

Huffington Post

But as forehead-slapping as these quotes end up looking, I don't think a rush to open the Fed to significant oversight of monetary policy is necessarily the right response.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair "a significant oversight" with a proposed solution or corrective action. This demonstrates a proactive approach to addressing the issue.

Common error

Avoid using "a significant oversight" for trivial matters. Overusing it can diminish its impact and credibility. Reserve it for situations with genuine and consequential implications.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a significant oversight" functions as a noun phrase that typically serves as a subject complement or an object in a sentence. It identifies a particular error or omission and emphasizes its importance, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

29%

Encyclopedias

14%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a significant oversight" is a noun phrase used to denote an important mistake or omission. According to Ludwig, it is grammatically correct and most commonly found in News & Media and Scientific contexts. When using the phrase, it's important to ensure the context clearly defines what was overlooked and why it matters. While the phrase is useful for pointing out critical errors, it should be reserved for cases of genuine significance. Alternatives such as "a major lapse" or "a critical error" can be used to convey similar meanings, but with slight variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a major lapse

Replaces "oversight" with "lapse", suggesting a temporary failure in judgment or memory.

a critical error

Emphasizes the importance of the mistake, highlighting its potential consequences.

a serious omission

Focuses on the act of leaving something out, rather than the unintentional nature of an oversight.

a notable failure

Highlights the lack of success in a particular area, implying a deviation from expected standards.

a glaring mistake

Emphasizes the obviousness and visibility of the error.

an important neglect

Highlights failure to care for or attend to something.

a crucial neglect

Highlights failure to care for or attend to something but more crucial.

a remarkable oversight

Emphasizes the unexpected nature of the oversight, suggesting surprise that it occurred.

a key error

Highlights that an error could determine a failure of some bigger process.

a terrible lapse

Emphasizes the high degree of severity of a temporary failure.

FAQs

How can I use "a significant oversight" in a sentence?

Use "a significant oversight" to point out an important mistake or something important that was forgotten. For example, "Failing to mention the budget constraints in the proposal was "a significant oversight"".

What are some alternatives to saying "a significant oversight"?

You can use alternatives like "a major lapse", "a critical error", or "a serious omission" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "significant oversight" or "major oversight"?

Both "significant oversight" and "major oversight" are acceptable. "Significant" emphasizes the importance or consequence of the oversight, while "major" emphasizes the scale or extent of the oversight. The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "oversight" and "omission"?

"Oversight" generally implies an unintentional mistake, while "omission" can be either intentional or unintentional. Using "a serious omission" might suggest a deliberate act of leaving something out, while ""a significant oversight"" usually suggests a careless mistake.