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
Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2026
The streaming wars ushered in a rise of the straight-to-series orders which became the default model in the new medium.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026
Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
Tens of billions of dollars in corporate loans are likely to default over the next year as companies, especially software and data services firms owned by private equity, get squeezed by the AI threat, Mish said in a Wednesday research note.
—Hugh Son, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for default
Noun
Chatbots and large language models are by default incredibly misleading, according to Carissa Véliz, an associate professor of philosophy at the University of Oxford’s Institute for Ethics in AI.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 11 Mar. 2026
The streaming wars ushered in a rise of the straight-to-series orders which became the default model in the new medium.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
Early March could bring a fabulous idea for growth, but someone could default on loyalty in some area, so keep your eyes open.
—Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
Tens of billions of dollars in corporate loans are likely to default over the next year as companies, especially software and data services firms owned by private equity, get squeezed by the AI threat, Mish said in a Wednesday research note.
—Hugh Son, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for default
Recent Examples of Synonyms for default
Noun
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The owner of Cosentino, a Spanish quartz-slab giant being sued by Peña and many workers, received a six-month prison sentence for gross negligence in 2023.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Just one of the complaints, a general negligence suit, names Santorio as a defendant.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Red, white and blue and Venezuela’s yellow, blue and red filled the stadium -- as did the political overtones the WBC could not ignore.—
Greg Cote
Updated March 17,
Miami Herald,
18 Mar. 2026
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But when platitudes aren’t backed by action, the disparity between branding and behavior becomes impossible to ignore.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The foundation said that besides Lee's 911 call, at least four other 911 calls were made by others that day, including from her husband and people who saw parts of the crime unfolding -- but that communication failures and other issues prevented help from being sent.—
DAVID FISCHER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
18 Mar. 2026
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The cause of the failure was still being investigated.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Hezbollah, the paramilitary group in Lebanon, got involved in the conflict, disregarding the state’s sovereignty and firing missiles and drones from Lebanese territory at an Israeli military site near Haifa.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
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Under that model, traditional insurance is disregarded and patients instead pay a monthly fee for access to low-cost health care.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Vasarely’s grandson Pierre Vasarely took over the reins as CEO in 2009, and although the museum’s building was designated as a historic monument in 2013, neglect had taken its toll.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
16 Mar. 2026
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Researchers linked later chronic gut issues to untreated maternal depression before and soon after birth, as well as early-childhood abuse and neglect.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Dried or desiccated coconut flakes can be replaced with fresh coconut meat, or omit.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
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Unfortunately, the story presented a one-sided narrative that omitted important facts and context that were provided to the reporter prior to publication.—
Aegis reader commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That’s when Manu Garcia found Joveljic with a perfect pass over the top of the Galaxy defense.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
15 Mar. 2026
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Whether it’s being passed over for a promotion, receiving harsh feedback, or losing a contract to a competitor, setbacks happen.—
Nir Eyal,
CNBC,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Too few compliments make kids feel slighted, while too many can inspire arrogance.—
Wayne Parker,
Parents,
8 Mar. 2026
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The right felt slighted, again, this time as the victim of a great left-wing conspiracy to turn football’s biggest night against them.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Default.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/default. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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