national debt
noun
: the total amount of money that the government of a country owes to companies, countries, etc.
Examples of national debt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As was the case then, there is a need to secure funding to keep the government open, reconsider expiring tax cuts, address a looming sequester, and extend the national debt limit.
—
Doug Criscitello, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
The deepening of the national debt comes even as President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk target government spending through the Department of Government Efficiency, which has implemented broad job cuts across agencies.
—Josephine Rozzelle, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2025
Today, according to the Debt Clock, the national debt is approaching $37 trillion, the federal budget exceeds $7 trillion and deficit spending tops $2 trillion.
—Dennis M. Powell, Boston Herald, 13 Mar. 2025
The limit on the national debt could lead to a default as early as Friday unless raised.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for national debt
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Doug Criscitello, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
The deepening of the national debt comes even as President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk target government spending through the Department of Government Efficiency, which has implemented broad job cuts across agencies.
—Josephine Rozzelle, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2025
Today, according to the Debt Clock, the national debt is approaching $37 trillion, the federal budget exceeds $7 trillion and deficit spending tops $2 trillion.
—Dennis M. Powell, Boston Herald, 13 Mar. 2025
The limit on the national debt could lead to a default as early as Friday unless raised.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for national debt
Cite this Entry
“National debt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/national%20debt. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share