default

/dɪˈfɒlt/

//dɪˈfɒlt// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"default" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“default” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #4,364. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#4,364
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - The condition of failing to meet an obligation.

Corpus desk

Index EN-default · default · English

default · rank #4,364 · 10 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #4,364
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH Dec

Nearest frequency peer: Dec (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “default”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “default” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

default vs DePaul
57% similar
default vs dealt
71% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for default
PropertyValue
Headworddefault
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɪˈfɒlt/
Letters7
Frequency rank#4,364
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “default” sits in English frequency

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).defaultlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “Dec” (#4,363), “Delhi” (#4,365), “dated” (#4,362). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around default (IPA /dɪˈfɒlt/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #4,364 among 3,470 “D” headwords. Wiktionary lists 10 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for default, with forms such as "ddefault", "deafult", and "defalut". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "DePaul", "dealt", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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”). The correct English form is default, spelled D-E-F-A-U-L-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    The condition of failing to meet an obligation.
  2. 2
    The condition of being an obligation that has not been met.
  3. 3
    the original software programming settings as set by the factory
  4. 4
    A loss incurred by failing to compete.
  5. 5
    A selection made in the absence of an alternative.
  6. 6
    A value used when none has been given; a tentative value or standard that is presumed.
  7. 7
    The failure of a defendant to appear and answer a summons and complaint.
  8. 8
    A failing or failure; omission of that which ought to be done; neglect to do what duty or law requires.
  9. 9
    Lack; absence.
  10. 10
    Fault; offence; wrong act.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how default appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. He failed to make payments on time, and he is now in default.
  2. You may cure this default by paying the full amount within a week.

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”).

This word in other languages

mora(Español)défaut(Français)Säumnis(Deutsch)inadimplência(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ddefault
  • deafult
  • defalut
  • defaullt
  • defaultt
  • defautl
  • deffault
  • defualt
  • dfeault
  • edfault

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of default - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ddefault1deafult2defalut2defaullt1defaultt1defautl2deffault1defualt2
Edit distance from "default"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "default"?
"default" is spelled D-E-F-A-U-L-T. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈfɒlt/.
What does "default" mean?
As a noun, "default" means: The condition of failing to meet an obligation.
What words are commonly confused with "default"?
"default" is commonly confused with "DePaul", "dealt". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "default"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "default" is /dɪˈfɒlt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "default"?
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”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "default", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

derived#4,366carrier#4,353existed#4,375awkward#4,349

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

dialogue10 variantswarriors10 variantstouched10 variantsrecover10 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list