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

High levels of public debt also have been part of the problem, including in the U.S., where the federal debt is back above 100% of gross domestic product, or larger than the economy.

From MarketWatch ● May 18, 2026

The amount of interest government pays on existing public debt is linked to inflation and interest rates on bonds.

From BBC ● May 12, 2026

This is expected to add around 2 percentage points to the public debt ratio from 66.4% of GDP in March, Maybank adds, noting it’ll bring debt levels close to the voluntary ceiling of 70%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

U.S. public debt surpassed GDP at 100.2% in March, preliminary data show, a level not seen since the pandemic, raising fiscal concerns.

From Barron's ● May 5, 2026

A formal bankruptcy of the state, the cancelling of two-thirds of the interest on the public debt, crowned the misgovernment of this disastrous time.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 2 "French Literature" to "Frost, William" by Various