default to zero

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "default to zero" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in contexts related to programming, data analysis, or settings where a value is set to zero by default if no other value is specified. Example: "In the absence of user input, the system will default to zero for the initial parameter."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

I regret a few elements that could be easily improved: the videos cannot be embedded (useful for travel blogs), the sound is set by default to zero and the control is not available in the right position.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

But without correct information and good leadership, it may not be possible for the rational, reality-based community to exercise influence, and control will necessarily default to one of the extremes.

The New York Times

The rating policy will work the same way for passengers and drivers: if a ride is left unrated, the rating will default to five stars, Lyft said.

TechCrunch

Stretching to the corners with your thumb is darn near impossible and to complete even simple actions like closing a modal view inside an app it's often easiest (and most habitual) to just default to two hands to perform those actions.

TechCrunch

The parameter spar of smooth.spline defaults to zero which determines that the smoothing parameter for each variant spline curve is selected by cross-validation; this selection produces models that are favorable for later phase classification as Single-wave, Double-wave, or Linear by an automatic variance ratio test.

Plosone

For simplicity, we restrict the number of defaults to two in this paper and the more general case will be considered in a follow up paper.

Mathematics-in-Industry Case Studies

On the server side, Memcached defaults to four threads, while on the client side, we varied the number of requesting threads and the data size.

Journal of Cloud Computing: Advances, Systems and Applications

Four different Patterson superposition vectors were used by default to start four dual-space structure solution attempts in parallel.

Acta Crystallographica Section A: Foundations and Advances

To simplify our analysis, we normalize retail effort service under the default system to zero.

Journal of Economic Structures

They made arrangements to pay off the "Confederate Bonds" out of their own resources, thereby crashing the value of the credit default swaps to zero.

Huffington Post

All analyses were performed in R [33], using the e1071 package's svm command with a linear kernel, cost = 1, and default scaling (to zero mean and unit variance).

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing default settings in technical documentation, be specific about the conditions under which the system or variable will "default to zero". This clarifies the expected behavior for users.

Common error

Avoid using "default to zero" when you simply mean that a value is absent or not applicable. "Default to zero" implies an intentional setting, not merely a lack of data.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "default to zero" functions as a directive or descriptive element, specifying how a system or variable behaves when no explicit value is given. Ludwig provides examples where this phrase indicates automatic settings.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

32%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "default to zero" is a phrase used to describe a situation where a value is automatically set to zero unless otherwise specified. As confirmed by Ludwig, this expression is grammatically correct and commonly used in technical and scientific contexts. When using this phrase, ensure that it accurately reflects the intended meaning of an automatic setting rather than a mere absence of data. Related alternatives include "set to zero by default" and "automatically set to zero". By considering these nuances, you can effectively communicate the intended behavior of systems or variables in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

set to zero by default

This alternative emphasizes the action of setting a value to zero and that it is the standard action if another action doesn't happen.

automatically set to zero

This alternative indicates that the setting to zero happens without any manual intervention.

initialized to zero

This alternative is common in programming contexts, referring to the initial value assignment.

preset to zero

This alternative focuses on pre-setting the value to zero before any operation.

reset to zero

This alternative means to clear the value and set it back to zero.

revert to zero

This alternative suggests returning to zero from a different value after an action.

fall back to zero

This alternative describes that when other attempts fail, the value will be zero.

assume a zero value

This alternative emphasizes the assumption of zero when no other value is provided.

take a zero value

This alternative describes the action of having a zero value.

start from zero

This alternative describes the beginning state when starting from the zero value.

FAQs

How can I use "default to zero" in a sentence?

You can use "default to zero" to indicate that a value is automatically set to zero unless otherwise specified. For example: "If the user does not provide a specific value, the parameter will "default to zero"."

What is the difference between "default to zero" and "set to zero"?

"Set to zero" is a direct action, while "default to zero" implies that zero is the automatic or pre-configured value in the absence of other input. "Set to zero" indicates a manual or direct action.

What are some alternative ways to say "default to zero"?

Alternatives include phrases such as "set to zero by default", "automatically set to zero", or "initialized to zero", depending on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use "default to zero" in technical writing?

It's appropriate when you need to describe the behavior of a system or variable when no explicit value is provided. This is common in programming, data analysis, and configuration settings where a zero value represents a starting point or a null state.