deleveraging

American  

[dee-lev-er-ij-ing, ‑lee-ver‑] / diˈlɛv ər ɪdʒ ɪŋ, ‑li vər‑ /

noun

1. the act or process of paying off or reducing debt; a decreasing of financial leverage.

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Etymology

Origin of deleveraging

First recorded in 1975–80; de- ( def. ) + leveraging ( def. )

Example Sentences

When the war began then, a significant deleveraging took place.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

Fitch expects to resolve the ratings watch once there is more clarity on final transaction terms, financing and post-close deleveraging priorities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

Peter Supino of Wolfe Research said in his own report that Paramount Warner faces “the difficult task of growing share while simultaneously deleveraging, a balance that could come at the expense of content investment.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 28, 2026

Evercore ISI analyst Amit Daryanani wrote that the transaction marks “a material acceleration of WDC’s deleveraging efforts,” as the company may move toward a net-cash position over time.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 17, 2026

“We are going through the greatest deleveraging in the history of financial services and it’s going to go on and on and on,” he said.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis