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
Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 4 June 2025
By default, activity is still public, but users can now choose to display or hide posts on a per-community basis.
—Dan Cody
amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025
Individuals without proper guidance may default to cash- or bond-heavy portfolios, missing out on potential growth opportunities.
—Wes Moss, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for default
Noun
Because federal officials don't know exactly who is living illegally in the United States, the systems by default must scoop up information about everyone first.
—Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 4 June 2025
By default, activity is still public, but users can now choose to display or hide posts on a per-community basis.
—Dan Cody
amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
Verb
Betancourt’s scheme collapsed when countless borrowers defaulted on their payday loans during the pandemic.
—Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 27 May 2025
Individuals without proper guidance may default to cash- or bond-heavy portfolios, missing out on potential growth opportunities.
—Wes Moss, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for default
Recent Examples of Synonyms for default
Noun
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The suit indicates three counts of negligence and carelessness which resulted in Xavier Anderson’s death and parties should be held liable.—
Kennedy Sessions,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2025
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The jury found that Elijah’s negligence also proximately caused his death.—
Emerson Clarridge,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2025
Verb
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What can also be said with certainty, however, is that — even ignoring, for one moment, the events that brought him to Chelmsford crown court in Essex, east of London — this is a story of what might have been.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
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As the state on Thursday summed up the brutal details that made up the prosecution’s case, a relative walked out of the courtroom with a loud scream, causing Petrone to tell the jury to ignore the outburst.—
Madeline Buckley,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2025
Noun
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While human error is the leading cause of data loss, other causes include hardware failure, theft, software corruption, viruses, natural disasters and power failure.—
Chongwei Chen,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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Yesterday, when asked about Musk’s criticism--which could sink the entire bill, if enough Senate Republicans like Ron Johnson and their constituents turn against it--the president chalked it up to sour grapes over the bill’s failure to extend EV tax credits.—
Kelly Evans,
CNBC,
6 June 2025
Verb
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The Edgar County Watchdogs Inc. sued the Village of Dolton and the former mayor for failing to produce financial records after the administration allegedly disregarded Freedom of Information Act requests earlier this year.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
4 June 2025
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Advancing American Freedom, the advocacy group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence, is circulating a memo telling Congress to disregard the CBO’s deficit projections.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
3 June 2025
Noun
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The building sustained damage from neglect and vandalism, which prompted Carbone to take the owners to court to request making Torrington the receiver of the inn to find a new developer.—
Emily M. Olson,
Hartford Courant,
7 June 2025
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The common thread among nearly everyone facing execution in the U.S. is present in the four executions set to take place over four days next week - abuse, addiction and neglect at childhood.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Verb
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A week after Trump’s announcement, representatives from the Hollywood unions and major studios signed a letter endorsing the federal incentive but omitting any mention of a tariff.—
Lane Brown,
Vulture,
3 June 2025
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But, of course, the thing that Naftali Bennett omitted from his discussion with Zelensky was, first of all, Israel is not surrounded by enemies that are as powerful as Russia.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
30 May 2025
Verb
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What To Know Ames brought her discrimination claim against the Ohio Youth Department after she was passed over for promotion in favor of a lesbian woman and then demoted under a gay man.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 June 2025
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The third session was similar to my second in that Francis applied the PFD patch, increased the wavelength, and passed over my tattoo multiple times.—
Marie Lodi,
Allure,
1 June 2025
Verb
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Despite Meg’s efforts to connect, Ellen (Kyra Sedgwick) repeatedly slights her future daughter-in-law.—
Natalia Winkelman,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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Aware of the ongoing discourse around Joey Bada$$’s comments—which some took as slighting the West Coast’s current success—Soul stepped up with a diplomatic but direct verse.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Default.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/default. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.
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