deficit

noun

def·​i·​cit ˈde-fə-sət 

 British also  di-ˈfi-sət,

 or  ˈdē-fə-sət

1

a(1)

: deficiency in amount or quality

a deficit in rainfall

(2)

: a lack or impairment in an ability or functional capacity

cognitive deficits

a hearing deficit

b

: disadvantage

scored two runs to overcome a 2–1 deficit

2

a

: an excess of expenditure over revenue

facing a deficit of $3 billion

raise taxes to help reduce the budget deficit

b

: a loss (see loss sense 4b) in business operations

the year's operating deficit

Synonyms

• crunch
• dearth
• deficiency
• drought
• drouth
• failure
• famine
• inadequacy
• inadequateness
• insufficiency
• lack
• lacuna
• paucity
• pinch
• poverty
• scantiness
• scarceness
• scarcity
• shortage
• undersupply
• want

Examples of deficit in a Sentence

The government is facing a deficit of $3 billion.

We will reduce the federal budget deficit.

The team overcame a four-point deficit to win the game.

She has a slight hearing deficit in her left ear.

Recent Examples on the Web

Arizona State hit 5 of 23 shots the second half and went 1-of-11 from 3 as KU erased a six-point halftime deficit. —Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 12 Jan. 2025

The Houston crowd fell silent as the Chargers cut the deficit to 11 with 10:38 remaining. —Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025

Four different players shot a combined 4-for-7 beyond the arc to lead the Huskies by as many as eight points before Fudd scored four straight to kick off a 7-0 run that cut UConn’s deficit to 1. —Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 11 Jan. 2025

In his absence, backup Steve Angeli saved the first half, if not the day, leading Notre Dame on a field goal drive after the Irish fell behind 10-0, their first double-digit deficit of the season. —Pete Sampson, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French déficit, going back to Middle French, "item lacking in an inventory," borrowed from Latin dēficit "it is lacking," 3rd person singular present indicative of dēficere "to be lacking, run short, fail" — more at deficient

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing deficit

• attention deficit disorder
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• deficit spending
• trade deficit

Kids Definition

deficit

noun

def·​i·​cit ˈdef-ə-sət 

: a deficiency in amount

especially : an excess of expenses over income

Medical Definition

deficit

noun

de·​fi·​cit

ˈdef-(ə-)sət; British also di-ˈfis-ət, ˈdē-fə-sət

: a deficiency of a substance

a potassium deficit

also : a lack or impairment of a functional capacity

cognitive deficits