trade deficit

noun

finance
: a situation in which a country buys more from other countries than it sells to other countries : the amount of money by which a country's imports are greater than its exports

Examples of trade deficit in a Sentence

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In July, the monthly trade deficit in goods hit its highest level since March 2025, the Commerce Department revealed on Thursday. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2026 And so that the trade deficit would not grow in an enormous way. — Alex Crippen, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026 China, Germany, and a handful of other economies run large, persistent trade surpluses, while the United States absorbs much of these surpluses by running the world’s largest trade deficit. — Michael Pettis, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026 The survey was, however, conducted before the release of June’s advance economic indicators report, which showed ⁠a moderate contraction in the goods trade deficit and retail inventories unchanged. — Reuters, NBC news, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for trade deficit

Browse Nearby Words

trade cycle
trade deficit
trade discount
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trade deficit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trade%20deficit. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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