due to an oversight

USAGE SUMMARY

"due to an oversight" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You might use it when referring to something that happened because of a mistake that went unnoticed. For example: "The shipment was late due to an oversight in our scheduling system."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

Mr Bush has insisted that this was due to an oversight by lawyers.

The Economist

I hope that he will be relieved that the omissions were not due to an oversight but to the fact that our film did not address either question.

The Guardian

Due to an oversight, John was late paying his Virginia annual dues and it was quickly rectified," said Taylor Thorney Keeney, the Adams' campaign's communications director.

The Washington Post

This was due to an oversight during our testing processes and – to make matters worse - coincided with the US holidays, meaning that the update to fix these problems took some time to get through the AppStore approval procedure at Apple.

The Guardian

However, Orwell's dystopian classic was only on sale in the first place due to an oversight on Amazon's part, after a publisher which did not have the rights to the books began selling digital copies without permission.

The Guardian - Tech

They have been there 133 days due to an oversight; they don't know why they have been there so long, or for how much longer, or what the plan is.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

These aren't due to any oversight on your part.

WikiHow

In a news release accompanying the records on Saturday, his office said the removal was due to an administrative oversight; his file at the time was missing a document showing that Mr. Brown had completed required coursework, the release said.

The New York Times

The Ashdown harvest this year is likely to be predominantly cucumbers – due to an administrative oversight, there are currently enough cucumber plants propagating on my dining table to feed, according to my research, (and I'm not joking here) 45 families of four for the year.

The Guardian - Sport

In a statement, a DEL spokesperson said the failure to reappoint the minister was due to an "administrative oversight by the Tribunal Service".

BBC

The title has been changed to "Corrected: A Bicycle Built For Yelp!" along with a message "Due to an editorial oversight, an earlier version of the Weekly Yelp contained a headline that was inappropriate for the context.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When precision matters, replace "due to an oversight" with specific explanations to provide details about the type and possible solution.

Common error

Avoid using "due to an oversight" without providing context. Vague statements can undermine trust; specify what the oversight was and how it's being addressed to maintain credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "due to an oversight" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or clause, indicating the reason or cause of an action or situation. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it clearly explains something resulted from an unnoticed mistake.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

5%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "due to an oversight" functions as a causal connector, explaining that something happened as a result of an unnoticed error. As verified by Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used, with a neutral register suitable for a variety of contexts. Its primary function is to provide an explanation or justification. The most frequent use cases appear in News & Media and Scientific contexts, where clarity and accuracy are crucial. While alternatives exist, varying in formality, "due to an oversight" offers a balanced and widely accepted way to indicate unintentional causation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

owing to an error

Replaces "oversight" with the more general term "error", emphasizing the mistake itself.

as a result of an error

Similar to "owing to an error", but uses "as a result of" to highlight the consequence of the error.

because of a mistake

Uses simpler language, replacing "oversight" with "mistake" for a less formal tone.

attributable to a lapse

More formal, using "attributable to" to assign responsibility and "lapse" to denote a temporary failure.

resulting from an omission

Specifically points to something being left out or excluded as the cause.

caused by an inadvertence

Emphasizes the unintentional nature of the cause with the word "inadvertence".

stemming from a negligence

Implicates carelessness or a lack of due diligence with the term "negligence".

a consequence of inattention

Highlights a lack of focus or care as the primary reason.

on account of a blunder

Suggests a more significant mistake or "blunder" as the cause.

as a consequence of a forgotten element

Highlights a lack of remembering something crucial as the primary reason.

FAQs

How can I use "due to an oversight" in a sentence?

You can use "due to an oversight" to explain why something happened as a result of a mistake that wasn't noticed, for example: "The project was delayed "due to an oversight" in planning.".

What are some alternatives to "due to an oversight"?

Alternatives include phrases like "owing to an error", "because of a mistake", or "as a result of an omission", depending on the specific context.

Which is more formal, "due to an oversight" or "because of a mistake"?

"Due to an oversight" is generally considered more formal than "because of a mistake". "Because of a mistake" is more suitable for casual conversation, whereas "due to an oversight" is fit for reports and presentations.

What's the difference between "due to an oversight" and "due to negligence"?

"Due to an oversight" implies an unintentional error, whereas "due to negligence" suggests a failure to take reasonable care. Negligence implies a greater degree of culpability.