View synonyms for default

default

[ dih-fawlt, dee-fawlt ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

failure to act; inaction or neglect:
They lost their best client by sheer default.
Finance. failure to meet financial obligations, as when a borrower misses or stops making monthly loan payments:
A default on your mortgage can lead to losing the house.
Law. failure to perform an act or obligation legally required, especially to appear in court or to plead at a time assigned:
The judge dismissed the suit for default of the defendant.
Sports. failure to arrive in time for, participate in, or complete a scheduled game, race, etc.:
So far the Cougars have had three losses, two wins, and one default.
a person’s automatic or standard way of acting or responding; go-to or reflex:
Her default is to argue about everything I say, unless she’s in a really good mood.
lack; want; absence:
For default of anything better, he took a job washing dishes.
Computers. a value that a program or operating system assumes, or a course of action that a program or operating system will take, when the user or programmer specifies no overriding value or action.

adjective

being a person’s automatic or standard action, response, etc.; go-to:
Chocolate is my default choice for ice cream, but when I feel adventurous I’ll go for something more exotic.
Computers. (of a value, action, etc.) preset or preselected, unless the user or programmer gives other input or instruction:
The default contrast setting on this display is 50 percent.

verb (used without object)

to fail to meet financial obligations, such as payments on a loan, or to account properly for money in one's care:
After he defaulted twice, the bank foreclosed on the car.
to fail in fulfilling or satisfying an engagement, claim, or obligation:
They said they would pick me up, but defaulted at the last minute.
Law. to fail to appear in court:
One of the key witnesses defaulted.
Sports.
1. to fail to participate in or complete a scheduled game, race, etc.:
  I only placed in that race because my chief rival defaulted.
2. to lose a scheduled game, race, etc., by default.
to behave or respond in a certain way automatically, habitually, or by preference (usually followed by to ):
It seems that in your relationships you default to being a caregiver instead of a partner.
Computers. (of a program or operating system) to assume a preset value or take a preselected action unless otherwise instructed by the user or programmer (usually followed by to ):
Your profile defaults to public unless you set the permissions to private.

verb (used with object)

to fail to perform or pay:
to default a debt.
to declare to be in default, especially legally:
The judge defaulted the defendant.
Law. to lose by failure to appear in court.
Sports.
1. to fail to compete in (a scheduled game, race, etc.).
2. to lose by default.

default

/ dɪˈfɔːlt /

noun

a failure to act, esp a failure to meet a financial obligation or to appear in a court of law at a time specified
absence or lack
by default
in the absence of opposition or a better alternative
he became prime minister by default
in default of
through or in the lack or absence of
judgment by default
law a judgment in the plaintiff's favour when the defendant fails to plead or to appear
lack, want, or need
alsoˈdiːfɔːlt computing
1. the preset selection of an option offered by a system, which will always be followed except when explicitly altered
2. ( as modifier )
  default setting

verb

intr; often foll by on or in to fail to make payment when due
intr to fail to fulfil or perform an obligation, engagement, etc
to default in a sporting contest
law to lose (a case) by failure to appear in court
tr to declare that (someone) is in default

default

Failure to pay a debt when it is due.

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Other Words From

non·de·fault·ing adjective noun
pre·de·fault noun verb
un·de·fault·ed adjective
un·de·fault·ing adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of default¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English defau(l)te, from Anglo-French defalte, Old French defaute, from defaillir, modeled on faute, faillir; equivalent to de- + fault

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Word History and Origins

Origin of default¹

C13: from Old French defaute, from defaillir to fail, from Vulgar Latin dēfallīre (unattested) to be lacking

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

in default of, for lack or want of; in the absence of:
In default of male heirs, his daughters inherited his property.

More idioms and phrases containing default

see in default of .

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Example Sentences

Are we all so stuck in our roles that when a given issue comes up, we just default to type?

From The Daily Beast

We should expect the default to be civility, not harassment.

From The Daily Beast

The typical trend is for writers and actors to default to the crudest element of what makes their show work, and lean on that.

From The Daily Beast

Out of the box, the device is set to a default statistical mode, but within a week, the monitor gets more accurate.

From The Daily Beast

There was no threat of default, government shutdown, huge cuts in government spending, or sharp tax increases.

From The Daily Beast

In default of both, I expect to go to jail, and I am ready to start upon one moment's warning.

From Project Gutenberg

In default of the usual bazaars OLeary had returned with the spoils of half a dozen pawn-shops.

From Project Gutenberg

I hitched the horse to my improvised drag and smoothed it again, several times, in default of a roller.

From Project Gutenberg

Before the letters arrived in London, a default had already been recorded.

From Project Gutenberg

He was perpetually giving an account of it to his own soul in default of other listeners.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

defang defaulter

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