default

[ dih-fawlt, dee-fawlt ]

/ dɪˈfɔlt, ˈdiˌfɔlt /

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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.

Law. failure to perform an act or obligation legally required, especially to appear in court or to plead at a time assigned.

Sports. failure to arrive in time for, participate in, or complete a scheduled game, race, etc.

lack; want; absence.

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.

verb (used without object)

to fail in fulfilling or satisfying an engagement, claim, or obligation.

to fail to meet financial obligations or to account properly for money in one's care: When he defaulted in his payments, the bank foreclosed on the car.

Law. to fail to appear in court.

Sports.

to fail to participate in or complete a scheduled game, race, etc.
to lose a scheduled game, race, etc., by default.

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: 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.

to fail to compete in (a scheduled game, race, etc.).
to lose by default.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Idioms about default

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

Origin of default

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English defau(l)te, from Anglo-French defalte, Old French defaute, derivative of defaillir, after faute, faillir; see de-, fault, fail

OTHER WORDS FROM default

non·de·fault·ing, adjective, nounpre·de·fault, noun, verbun·de·fault·ed, adjectiveun·de·fault·ing, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use default in a sentence

In other words, the Lithuanian leader met with many of the people who help the Pentagon — and, by default, the US military — function every day.
The acting Pentagon chief was exposed to the coronavirus. He’s not quarantining.|Alex Ward|November 20, 2020|Vox
The filters also set some default values for the adjustment tools we’ll look at in a moment, so you can take them as a foundation and build your own effects from there.
Google Photos is better at image editing than you think|Harry Guinness|November 17, 2020|Popular-Science
Apple turned on its HDR feature—which merges several photos into a single final image—by default.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max might be worth it—for the camera alone|Stan Horaczek|November 10, 2020|Popular-Science
Fidelity mode is the default setting that plays at 30 frames-per-second and includes ray tracing, enhanced lighting and additional VFX.
PlayStation 5 review: PS5 is a sensory game-changer|Elise Favis|November 6, 2020|Washington Post

Find old pages on the webRun a standard Google search, and it will show you the most recent and relevant results by default, but you can change that.
Five ways to go back in time on the internet|David Nield|November 5, 2020|Popular-Science
The duo had defaulted on a loan from Textron Financial for $18 million.
It Was All a Dream: Drama, Bullshit, and the Rebirth of The Source Magazine|Alex Suskind|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In 2011, 9.1% of borrowers had defaulted on their student loan within the first two years of the payment period.
Elizabeth Warren Wants the Fed to Get Into the Student Loan Business|Megan McArdle|May 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
His debate coaches warned him against it; but the fourth time he was asked about his experience, he defaulted to form.
How Mitt Romney Can Win the First Debate With Obama|Robert Shrum|September 25, 2012|DAILY BEAST
With each passing quarter, more of the old loans are paid off, refinanced, or defaulted on.
Fannie Mae’s $5.1 Billion Second-Quarter Profit Attributed to Newfound Prudence|Daniel Gross|August 8, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Household debt declined rapidly between 2009 and 2011—largely because so many borrowers defaulted.
Obama is Right, We Need Mortgage Refinancing|David Frum|January 25, 2012|DAILY BEAST
But some cities defaulted, and they were apparently among those assigned to Malichus.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 15, Slice 4|Various
The clerk to whom I had entrusted it (the sporting character before mentioned) had defaulted and fled.
Continental Monthly, Vol. I. February, 1862, No. II.|Various
The following year he defaulted in an assessment for the same amount.
Summer Days in Shakespeare Land|Charles G. Harper
Lehman soon found himself beyond his depth and defaulted in the payment of both principal and interest.
Sixty Years in Southern California 1853-1913|Harris Newmark
Those who bargained for this man's word felt that on the spot where Johnse defaulted they would find his dead body.
The Red Debt|Everett MacDonald

British Dictionary definitions for 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 alternativehe 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

(also ˈdiːfɔːlt) computing

the preset selection of an option offered by a system, which will always be followed except when explicitly altered
(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, etcto default in a sporting contest

law to lose (a case) by failure to appear in court

(tr) to declare that (someone) is in default

Word Origin for default

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for default

default

Failure to pay a debt when it is due.

Other Idioms and Phrases with default

default

see in default of.

default

Idioms about default

Origin of default

OTHER WORDS FROM default

Words related to default

How to use default in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for default

Word Origin for default

Cultural definitions for default

Other Idioms and Phrases with default