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defaulter

American  
[dih-fawl-ter] / dɪˈfɔl tər /

noun

  1. a person who defaults or fails to fulfill an obligation, especially a legal or financial one.

  2. British. a soldier convicted by court-martial.

defaulter British  
/ dɪˈfɔːltə /

noun

  1. a person who defaults

  2. a person, esp a soldier, who has broken the disciplinary code of his service

"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

Etymology

Origin of defaulter

First recorded in 1660–70; default + -er 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Five years after becoming Africa's first Covid-era debt defaulter, Zambia is seeing a dramatic turnaround in fortunes as major powers vie for access to its vast reserves of copper.

From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026

It’s my understanding that the defaulter put down $2,000 and my friend cosigned for him to borrow the rest.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 29, 2025

S&P downgraded Evergrande on Friday to "selective default" after the firm missed a debt payment deadline earlier this month, putting the developer at risk of becoming the country's biggest defaulter.

From Reuters • Dec. 20, 2021

It could trigger a so-called "cross default" on Evergrande's roughly $19bn of international bonds, putting it at risk of becoming China's biggest defaulter.

From BBC • Dec. 8, 2021

Far from seeking revenge, the worst defaulter I ever had dealings with can not deny that I am always willing to accept a good post-obit.

From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol IV. No. XX. January, 1852. by Various

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.