deficit spending

American  

noun

1. the practice of spending funds in excess of income, especially by a government.

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Etymology

Origin of deficit spending

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

That translates to higher costs for new mortgages and car loans, corporate borrowing and U.S. deficit spending.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

“Our economy has been fueled by large amounts of government deficit spending and past stimulus and that increased expenditure on infrastructure remains a growing need,” Dimon says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

“Current deficit spending as a percent of GDP of 5.2% would be 6.1% without tariff revenue,” says Bill Merz, head of capital markets research at U.S.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

The nation’s second-largest school system has been able to sustain deficit spending because of reserves left over from more than $5 billion in one-time pandemic-relief aid.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2025

Higher taxes and more ruinous levies in the newly conquered provinces could not fill the insatiable maw of deficit spending.

From Civilization and Beyond Learning from History by Nearing, Scott

Related Words

• budget deficit