as in negligence
the nonperformance of an assigned or expected action
a default in the repayment of a bank loan
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of default
Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Each platform uses different names, dashboards, and default settings.
—Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Richard Fontaine, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
However, whether that means a game will default back to broadcast or find a home on another streamer remains to be seen.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for default
Noun
Zambia’s program was approved in 2022, two years after a sovereign debt default imposed economic strains whose effects have not fully gone away.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Each platform uses different names, dashboards, and default settings.
—Sacbee.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Verb
The administration may well default to working with a compliant President Delcy Rodríguez and most of the existing government.
—Richard Fontaine, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
However, whether that means a game will default back to broadcast or find a home on another streamer remains to be seen.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for default
Recent Examples of Synonyms for default
Noun
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Rosario Soto was arrested and charged with endangering a child by criminal negligence, unlawful carrying of a weapon and reckless driving, police said.—
Briauna Brown,
CBS News,
26 Jan. 2026
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The lawsuit accuses the apartment operators of negligence and emotional distress and seeks to hold the companies accountable, as well as their owners, security teams and agents.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This framing effectively provides a rationale for ignoring officers’ commands during field encounters.—
Christina Buttons,
Washington Post,
3 Feb. 2026
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Fedorov, the new defense minister, acknowledges the scale of the problem, telling the Ukrainian parliament some 2 million people are ignoring their call-up papers, while 200,000 others have deserted.—
Andrew Carey,
CNN Money,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Republicans argue the region’s frustrations reflect years of structural failures under Cooper’s disaster management system, stretching back to earlier storms.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Feb. 2026
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Advocates say overcrowding is at the center of many of the jail's ongoing problems, from maintenance failures to safety concerns, and argue that recent flooding highlights deeper, long-standing issues.—
La'Tasha Givens,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Reynolds and others also complained that commissioners disregarded previous wetland-restoration work that Kelly performed on the site.—
Jenny Staletovich,
Miami Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
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Advising a homeowners association used to occasionally be very stressful, especially when directors would argue with me or a board would disregard my advice.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Herald spoke with four of the center’s previous directors who highlighted a systemic lack of funding, restrictive oversight and general neglect of the center’s maintenance.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
3 Feb. 2026
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During the time the children were in ChildNet's foster care program, there were no complaints or allegations of abuse or neglect regarding their foster placement.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For a vegetarian option with a deep, earthy flavor, omit the sausage for mushrooms and add in onion, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce.—
Jenavieve Christensen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Jan. 2026
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Top players omitted from the list were not nominated.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Each time a car or truck passes over a road, its weight flexes the pavement and can create small cracks, the BBC reported in 2024.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
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When one role means everything, the stakes become unbearably high — for the actor cast, for the actors passed over and for the audience watching yet another rare opportunity slip by.—
Gloria Calderon Kellett,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Did Probst feel slighted by all the backlash?—
David Canfield,
Vanity Fair,
20 Jan. 2026
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The other opportunity provided by a coaching change is for players who might have felt slighted or not used properly to state their case to a new boss.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Default.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/default. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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