default
/dɪˈfɔːlt/
verb
- To fail to do something that is required, especially to pay money that is owed.
- He defaulted on the mortgage after losing his job.
- If you default on your student loans, your credit score will suffer.
- The company defaulted on its bond payments and filed for bankruptcy.
- To revert to a standard or preset option when no other choice is made.
- If you don't click anything, the program will default to the basic settings.
- The phone defaults to silent mode when you turn it on for the first time.
- The website defaults to the English version for users in the United States.
noun
- A preset option or setting that a computer or system uses unless you choose something different.
- The default font in this word processor is Calibri, but you can change it.
- If you don't select a language, the website will use English as the default.
- The printer's default setting prints on both sides of the paper.
- Failure to do something that is required by law or agreement, especially to pay back a loan.
- He avoided default by making a small payment just before the deadline.
- If you miss three payments, the bank will consider you in default on your loan.
- The company went into default after it failed to pay its debts for six months.
- A situation in which a team or player does not show up for a competition, resulting in a loss.
- Our team lost the game by default because we only had four players.
- The tennis player won the match by default when her opponent didn't arrive.
- He advanced to the next round by default after the other contestant withdrew.
Synonyms