default 1 of 2

Definition of defaultnext
as in negligence
the nonperformance of an assigned or expected action a default in the repayment of a bank loan

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

default

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of default
Noun
Belligerence remains the default Pyongyang position. Arthur I. Cyr, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026 That meant, for those loans, that the bank would be first in line to foreclose on a property if the borrower went into default. Sean Emery, Oc Register, 10 June 2026
Verb
For the past two years, the playbook has been to default to the most powerful AI model and direct all queries through it, regardless of complexity. Jasmine Wu,deirdre Bosa, CNBC, 5 June 2026 Surging costs for utilities, insurance and labor without rising revenues have led some to deteriorate, pushing landlords to default on loans. Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 4 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for default
Recent Examples of Synonyms for default
Noun
  • The case is unusual compared to the slew of lawsuits over the past decade against utility companies for negligence that caused destructive and deadly wildfires, according to legal and environmental experts CNN spoke with.
    Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 8 June 2026
  • The Hoffman family has filed a lawsuit against Boelter, which accuses him of assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and negligence per se, according to the civil complaint.
    Nick Lentz, CBS News, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • So next time your airline sends you that push notification or reminder email, don’t ignore it.
    Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 9 June 2026
  • But Canaccord Genuity thinks investors should ignore the decline and get into the stock now.
    Davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • Semiconductor maker Texas Instruments has introduced a new battery monitoring chip designed to give electric vehicles and energy storage systems earlier warning of battery failures while reducing the number of components required inside battery packs.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 9 June 2026
  • Nothing majorly dramatic happens, no one flames out in the kitchen, no dish is an absolute failure.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 9 June 2026
Verb
  • The city of Aledo is considering ordinances targeting e-bikes and golf carts following numerous complaints from residents that riders are ignoring traffic rules, running stop signs and disregarding pedestrians on sidewalks.
    Mary Ella Hastings June 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 June 2026
  • Healey, a former two-term attorney general, is completely disregarding public safety by her reckless rhetoric and actions – all to win another election.
    Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • In the case of nursing home abuse and neglect, families can file a civil personal injury suit against the involved facility.
    Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 9 June 2026
  • Darrian Randle, 32, was found guilty of murder, child abuse, neglect and assault after the body of her daughter, Nola Dinkins, was found in June 2025, wrapped in Saran Wrap and left in a suitcase.
    JT Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Kyiv, in Kempf’s telling, has been consumed by maximalist aspirations and began negotiating only in 2024, a timeline that notably omits the 2022 talks in Turkey.
    Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 9 June 2026
  • What those posts often omitted was that the apparent discrepancy resulted from how the data were displayed.
    Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2026
Verb
  • When the mower passes over the lawn, the bent blades are not cut while others are trimmed.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 June 2026
  • The Blue Jackets promoted Pascal Vincent to replace Babcock, even though Vincent had been passed over in each of their previous two coach searches.
    Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • For each of the murders, the four men either lured or abducted and drove the victims to the Angeles National Forest after the victims slighted the gang in different ways, according to the Justice Department.
    Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 5 June 2026
  • Romano’s sturdy book may not stint on examples of Mary’s bad behavior—including a ferociously jealous verbal assault, near the end of the war, on the wife of a prominent Union general—but the biographer keeps tilting against those who slighted Mary in even the most superficial ways.
    Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 18 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Default.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/default. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.

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