national debt

American  

noun

1. the financial obligations of a national government resulting from deficit spending.

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national debt British  

noun

1. Also called (esp US): public debt.  the total outstanding borrowings of a nation's central government

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national debt Cultural  

1. The debt of the government; the amount of borrowing by the government to meet expenditures exceeding tax revenues.

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A large national debt can inhibit growth and drive up interest rates.

Etymology

Origin of national debt

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85

Example Sentences

However, there haven’t been great improvements in the annual budget deficit and the national debt.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

“A national debt, a national blessing,” was Cooke’s slogan.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

If that revenue isn’t replaced, the ruling could add more than $2 trillion to the $38.7 trillion national debt over the next decade, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

The U.S. national debt sits at $36 trillion.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 30, 2026

A reasonable estimate of the additional costs for capitalizing a gradual emancipation program would have increased the national debt to about $125 million.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis