trade surplus

American  

[treyd sur-pluhs, -pluhs] / ˈtreɪd ˌsɜr plʌs, -pləs /

noun

Economics.

1. a positive balance of trade, or the amount by which the value of a country’s exports exceeds that of its imports.

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Etymology

Origin of trade surplus

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Imports rose 7.5% from a year earlier to $51.94 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $15.51 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal

Imports likely rose 13.6%, resulting in a $10.10 billion trade surplus—wider than January’s revised $8.72 billion surplus.

From The Wall Street Journal

January 2026 exports hit $65 billion, up 34% from a year ago, and this resulted in a trade surplus of $8.74 billion.

From MarketWatch

Another clause authorizes the President to cut tariffs if a U.S. trade surplus creates “fundamental international payments problems.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Germany’s trade surplus with the country is still a sizable €51.9 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal