deficit
noun
, British also di-ˈfi-sət or ˈdē-fə-sət\
Definition of deficit
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Synonyms & Antonyms for deficit
Synonyms
crunch, dearth, deficiency, drought (also drouth), failure, famine, inadequacy, inadequateness, insufficiency, lack, lacuna, paucity, pinch, poverty, scantiness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, undersupply, want
Antonyms
abundance, adequacy, amplitude, opulence, plenitude, plenty, sufficiency, wealth
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Examples of deficit in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Chang also pushed back on the idea that trade deficits weren't as big of a deal as Trump was making them out to be. — Fox News, "China expert Gordon Chang praises Trump's tariffs: 'The Chinese are now doing things which smell desperate'," 10 Aug. 2019 American officials complain that a weak yuan gives Chinese exporters an unfair price edge in foreign markets and helps swell the massive U.S. trade deficit with China. — Joe Mcdonald, Twin Cities, "Lashing back, China lets yuan drop, halts US farm purchases," 5 Aug. 2019 Butafter more than a year of the most aggressive use of tariffs by an American president since Herbert Hoover, the trade deficit continues to widen. — Anchorage Daily News, "Trump’s new China tariffs take aim at heart of the U.S. economy: Consumers," 3 Aug. 2019 To Trump, in a practical sense, that amounts to a focus on reducing bilateral trade deficits. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "Elizabeth Warren’s vision for changing America’s trade policy, explained," 29 July 2019 Trump slapped tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods last year in response to a trade deficit and allegations of intellectual property theft and unfair trade practices as the world’s two largest economies seek to negotiate a sweeping trade deal. — Time, "Apple Moved Mac Pro Production to China. Now it Wants Tariff Exemptions," 23 July 2019 China’s exports to the U.S. dropped too, but only by 8%, springing the U.S. trade deficit on goods to $30 billion. — Eamon Barrett, Fortune, "China’s Economy Slows But Its Surplus Grows: CEO Daily," 20 July 2019 Even so, the nation's trade deficit has continued to grow under his watch, widening to a decade-long high of $621 billion in 2018. — Kevin Freking, chicagotribune.com, "Trump boosts made-in-USA purchasing requirement for federal agencies," 15 July 2019 But the trade deficit persists and the U.S. economy still prospers. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "Why Vietnam Loves Donald Trump," 10 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deficit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for deficit
deficit
nounFinancial Definition of deficit
What It Is
A deficit occurs when expenses exceed revenues, imports exceed exports, or liabilities exceed assets. A deficit is the opposite of a surplus.
How It Works
Fiscal deficits occur when an entity's (usually a government) expenditures exceed its revenue. A government usually borrows money to fill the gap or "fund the deficit." Most governments finance their debt by selling government bonds.
Trade deficits (also called current account deficits) occur when a country imports more than it exports. The difference between exports and imports is called net exports.
Why It Matters
Deficits are controversial. The famous economist John Maynard Keynes argued that fiscal deficits stimulated economies by allowing governments to purchase goods and services and were thus particularly useful for getting countries out of recessions. However, many scholars argue that governments should not incur fiscal deficits regularly because the cost to service the debt takes away from government spending that could be better used elsewhere.
Meanwhile, supporters of trade deficits say they are the direct result of global competition. Thus, the deficits exists because consumers are making a choice to buy foreign goods whether it be because of a difference in quality, price, or any other reason. Opponents of large trade deficits believe the deficit provides jobs to foreign countries instead of creating them at home, thus hurting the domestic economy.
Source: Investing Answers
deficit
noun
English Language Learners Definition of deficit
See the full definition for deficit in the English Language Learners Dictionary
deficit
noun
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Kids Definition of deficit
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