DEFAULT Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

default 1 of 2

noun

di-ˈfȯlt

Definition of default

as in negligence

the nonperformance of an assigned or expected action a default in the repayment of a bank loan

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

default

2 of 2

verb

as in to ignore

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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

Many of Windows 11’s best security features aren’t active by default. — Chris Hoffman, PC Magazine, 9 Sep. 2026 Without the necessary practice time to compete for the left guard job, Mahogany enters the year as the default starter. — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Verb

Under the settlement, teen accounts would default to a setting that limits cumulative use across both Facebook and Instagram to two hours per day. — Steve Kopack, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026 As Built In reported, when managers reward accelerated output above all else, employees default to quantity over quality, and those on the receiving end spend extra time fixing what AI produced. — Dan Schawbel, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for default

Recent Examples of Synonyms for default

Noun

The bill does not change any legal standards regarding this type of legal claim and does not limit liability for damages resulting from negligence, Nemeth said.

— Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Earlier this year, two men, Christopher Sage and Terry Thompson, sued DraftKings, FanDuel and other companies for negligence, design defect, failure to warn, unfair trade practices and related claims.

— Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of negligence

Noun

Their failure to receive one may be attributed to their having vague symptoms, such as a general feeling of malaise, weakness, or fluctuating muscle pain.

— Jerome Groopman, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026
Compounding the issue was UM’s failure to get to the quarterback.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of failure

Verb

The records also show that Georgia officials may have disregarded their own financial policies.

— Max Blau, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2026
The third juror told O’Connell the holdout juror disregarded certain information some of his fellow panelists – nurses among them – provided about Clancy’s toxicology report.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of disregard

Noun

The outing ultimately led to a criminal conviction and her placement on the state’s child-abuse and neglect registry.

— Rachel Hale, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
In a prepared statement, DCFS acknowledged the role child abuse pediatricians play in its abuse and neglect investigations.

— Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of neglect

Verb

Native peoples in New England and Bermuda kept alive their family histories and stories throughout the centuries, even when colonial documents suppressed or omitted these connections.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Team defenses are omitted because flukey plays (like defensive touchdowns) distort the data and reduce predictive value.

— Jake Ciely, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of omit

Verb

New quarterback Rocco Becht threw for 271 yards and four touchdowns in his debut as Penn State had two passes over 40 yards and 14 over 10 yards, a massive improvement from the struggles in previous years.

— The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
But what makes Memphis especially dangerous is that the offense has shown an early ability to draw the opposition into defending the run game and constricting the box, then blowing the defense open with a pass over the top.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of pass over

Verb

The other four QBs peaked inside the top 10 last season, so they’ve all been slighted to a degree with the initial rankings of 2026.

— Jeff Howe, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
But after reaching All-Star status for the first time in his career, after keeping the Heat afloat through the first half of last season while Herro was sidelined, Norman Powell need offer no apology for feeling slighted.

— Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of slight

Browse Nearby Words

defatted

default

defaulted

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Default.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/default. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of default

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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