deficit
Americannoun
-
the amount by which a sum of money falls short of the required amount.
-
the amount by which expenditures or liabilities exceed income or assets.
-
a lack or shortage; deficiency.
-
a disadvantage, impairment, or handicap.
The team's major deficit is its poor pitching.
-
a loss, as in the operation of a business.
noun
-
the amount by which an actual sum is lower than that expected or required
-
-
an excess of liabilities over assets
-
an excess of expenditures over revenues during a certain period
-
an excess of payments over receipts on the balance of payments
-
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of deficit
First recorded in 1775–85; from Latin dēficit “(it) lacks,” 3rd-person singular present of dēficere “to fail, run short, lack, weaken”; see deficient
Explanation
If you're running a deficit, you are losing. You might be losing money or losing a game. Either way, you better make up for it. When the government runs on a deficit, often the loss can be offset by a raise in taxes. If you have a deficit of iron in your body, you should consider eating more spinach. The word deficit comes from the Latin deficit meaning "it is wanting." A deficit is characterized by the wanting of something missing.
Vocabulary lists containing deficit
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
ACT Vocabulary List
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
East Asia - Middle School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The county has appointed a “fiscal expert” to work with the district to eliminate the projected deficit.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026
The U.S. trade deficit widened in May, according to data published by the Commerce Department Tuesday.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026
The US trade deficit widened sharply in May to its largest in over a year as imports rose, government data showed Tuesday, with analysts noting that businesses could be gearing up for further tariffs.
From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026
Read: Bitcoin is suffering from an ‘attention’ deficit, as momentum traders have moved on.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 6, 2026
From the bench, I watched our slight lead get chipped away and turn into a ten-point deficit.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
