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
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.
In 1971, the U.S. national debt stood at approximately $398 billion. Sanford Mann, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025 This is in addition to the longer-term risks associated with America's rising national debt. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025 In reality, trillions will be added to the U.S. national debt over the next decade if Trump's tax cuts are extended without ways to pay for them. Susan Davis, NPR, 30 Apr. 2025 The supporters of the administration's cost-cutting efforts have characterized it as necessary to root out fraud and waste and to take a bite out of the national debt. John Kelly, Nancy Cordes, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for national debt

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“National debt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/national%20debt. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on national debt

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!