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//dɪˈfɒlt// noun, verb

noun, verb ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The condition of failing to meet an obligation. countable, uncountable

    "He failed to make payments on time, and he is now in default."

  2. 2
    loss due to not showing up wordnet
  3. 3
    The condition of being an obligation that has not been met. countable, uncountable

    "The deadline has passed, so the debt is now in default."

  4. 4
    an option that is selected automatically unless an alternative is specified wordnet
  5. 5
    the original software programming settings as set by the factory countable, uncountable
Show 9 more definitions
  1. 6
    loss resulting from failure of a debt to be paid wordnet
  2. 7
    A loss incurred by failing to compete. countable, uncountable

    "The team's three losses include one default."

  3. 8
    act of failing to meet a financial obligation wordnet
  4. 9
    A selection made in the absence of an alternative. countable, uncountable

    "The man became the leader of the group as a default."

  5. 10
    A value used when none has been given; a tentative value or standard that is presumed. attributive, countable, often, uncountable

    "If you don't specify a number of items, the default is 1."

  6. 11
    The failure of a defendant to appear and answer a summons and complaint. countable, uncountable
  7. 12
    A failing or failure; omission of that which ought to be done; neglect to do what duty or law requires. countable, obsolete, uncountable

    "This evil has happened through the governor's default."

  8. 13
    Lack; absence. countable, obsolete, uncountable

    "one was dragging a great coat from the window, before which it had long hung as a blind, in total default of glass or shutters"

  9. 14
    Fault; offence; wrong act. countable, obsolete, uncountable

    "regardless of our merit or default"

Verb
  1. 1
    To fail to meet an obligation.; To fail to appear and answer a summons and complaint. intransitive
  2. 2
    fail to pay up wordnet
  3. 3
    To fail to meet an obligation.; To fail to fulfill a financial obligation. intransitive

    "to default on a loan"

  4. 4
    To lose a competition by failing to compete. intransitive

    "If you refuse to wear a proper uniform, you will not be allowed to compete and will default this match."

  5. 5
    To assume a value when none was given; to presume a tentative value or standard. ambitransitive

    "If you don't specify a color, it defaults to red."

Synonyms

All synonyms
nonpaymentabscondenceabsenceabsence without leaveabsentationabsenteeism

Example

More examples

"Are you using the default settings?"

Etymology

From Middle English defaut, defaute, from Old French defaute (“fault, defect, failure, culpability, lack”), ultimately from Latin de- (“away”) + fallo (“deceive, cheat, escape notice of”).

Related phrases

by defaultcredit default optioncredit default swapdefault gatewaydefault judgementdefault judgmentdefault mode networkdefault onin defaultmake defaultby defaultdefault on

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.