public debt

American  

noun

1. national debt.

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public debt British  

noun

1. the total financial obligations incurred by all governmental bodies of a nation

2. another name for national debt

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Etymology

Origin of public debt

First recorded in 1715–25

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

public debt

As a result, almost 33% of U.S. public debt will mature in a year or less, and another 35% within five years, according to Treasury data.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

Senegal's public debt is alarming, although similar situations have played out elsewhere in Africa.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

Overall public debt is the equivalent of around 200% of GDP, the highest among major economies after decades of deficit spending to combat deflation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026

“Suppose the sovereign remains solvent and its debt remains safe. Can a larger stock of safe public debt nevertheless become a drag on aggregate demand?”

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026

There need be no haste in refunding the public debt at the rates now proposed and considered low.

From Money: Speech of Hon. John P. Jones, of Nevada, On the Free Coinage of Silver; in the United States Senate, May 12 and 13, 1890 by John P. (John Percival) Jones