as in negligence
the nonperformance of an assigned or expected action
a default in the repayment of a bank loan
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Recent Examples of default
Talya Minsberg, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
On the new Spin Time models, dolphin grey-colored hours are shown by default—when the appropriate hour comes around, the index flips 90 degrees to display a light-grey version of the appropriate number.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 21 Jan. 2025
Annie Nova, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2025
Sometimes in adult child and parent relationships, the child might have to take the lead on these conversations if their parents default to casting blame or defensiveness.
—Allie Volpe, Vox, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for default 
Noun
As in many European cities, walking is a default form of transportation.
—Talya Minsberg, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025
On the new Spin Time models, dolphin grey-colored hours are shown by default—when the appropriate hour comes around, the index flips 90 degrees to display a light-grey version of the appropriate number.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
Chip Somodevilla | Getty This year, for the first time in roughly five years, borrowers who have defaulted on their federal student loan debt will face collection activity, including the garnishment of their wages and retirement benefits.
—Annie Nova, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2025
Sometimes in adult child and parent relationships, the child might have to take the lead on these conversations if their parents default to casting blame or defensiveness.
—Allie Volpe, Vox, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for default
Recent Examples of Synonyms for default
Noun
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Mothers fear that a lack of diapers could be taken as a sign of negligence and lead to children being removed from their custody.—
Laura Clawson,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Jan. 2025
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Staff and security at the Kaseya Center—a co-defendant accused of gross negligence—allegedly prevented the acquaintance from following the woman and McGregor into the bathroom (the Kaseya Center did not immediately respond to a request for comment).—
Ty Roush,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Peter, on the other hand, is approaching it in a very old fashioned, very masculine, frankly, way of burying it, ignoring it, and that doesn’t often work.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
24 Jan. 2025
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Modeste says ignoring mental health will no longer cut it, so parents should have open and honest discussions about it.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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That has received sharp rebuke from California leaders and water experts who point out that Los Angeles’ water supply is flush after two rainy years, and statewide water supply questions have no relationship to municipal water system failures during the Palisades fire.—
Ari Plachta,
Sacramento Bee,
25 Jan. 2025
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For example, in the automotive industry, AI can monitor the health of assembly line robots, predicting and preventing failures that could halt production.—
Matthew Putman,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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This comment may come from a good place, but still manages to disregard what makes the birthing parent comfortable.—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
23 Jan. 2025
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In the case of one Premier League manager, any player falling below a certain value — literally any player — is disregarded instantly.—
Phil Hay,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The average student Oakmont teaches has had multiple adverse childhood experiences, serious traumas ranging from abuse and neglect to seeing their parents incarcerated or die to family drug addiction or other forms of instability.—
Michael McShane,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
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That dynamic, the news organization found, has resulted in fraud, abuse and neglect of the state’s most vulnerable.—
Jake Pearson,
ProPublica,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Newman had initially been the highest profile player to refuse to renegotiate his MLP deal, and stood firm on being basically omitted from PPA events for the next three years.—
Todd Boss,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
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According to Cleaning the Glass, an advanced analytics database that omits stats compiled in garbage time, Valančiūnas also ranks among the league’s most efficient big men in defensive-rebounding percentage, offensive-rebounding percentage and assist percentage.—
David Aldridge,
The Athletic,
14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Princess Iman isn’t the only sibling the throne passes over— her younger sister, Princess Salma, is in the same spot.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
24 Jan. 2025
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If he’s passed over for the coordinator job again — Penn State did this last year with Allen — at some point, Poindexter might need to go elsewhere to take that next step.—
Audrey Snyder,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Liska and Copper’s text also, uncomfortably, makes constant, slighting reference to Bachrach’s body.—
Helen Shaw,
The New Yorker,
13 Dec. 2024
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The deference being shown to the Big Ten and SEC conferences isn’t sitting well with some outsiders, who feel they are being slighted by the CFP selection committee.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN,
19 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near default
Cite this Entry
“Default.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/default. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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