debt

noun

ˈdet How to pronounce debt (audio)
Definition of debtnext
1
as in obligation
something (as money) which is owed he filed for bankruptcy when his debts exceeded his assets

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crime
a breaking of a moral or legal code forgive us our debts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of debt Its debt remained above $7 billion at the end of the second quarter. — Michael Wayland, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026 The United States is $40 trillion in debt and adding roughly $2 trillion per year, with no prospect of major fiscal reforms. — Jennifer Kavanagh, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026 Senegal, which faces tight budgetary constraints due to ballooning debt, has spent nearly all of its full-year allocation for fuel subsidies already. — Paige Bruton, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026 That means the federal government will continue to make massive interest payments that will only add to its $40 trillion pile of debt. — Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for debt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debt
  1. obligation
  2. crime
  3. score
  4. sin
  5. indebtedness
  6. violation
  7. bankruptcy
Noun
  • The company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
    — Emma Clapp, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • This is not just diversity as a social obligation but also diversity of expertise that maps to where your company is actually going.
    — Albana Vrioni, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of obligation
Noun
  • Which of these adults will have their real estate crimes interrupted by those meddling kids and their puppy?
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The plan involves the United States taking more direct control over Venezuelan reserves as crime and steep logistical challenges discourage private investors.
    — Evan Halper, Washington Post, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of crime
Noun
  • Because symptoms associated with perimenopause can overlap with other medical concerns, talk with a qualified healthcare provider about any new, persistent, severe or concerning symptoms — regardless of your score.
    — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The longtime 5-star Georgia football commitment threw for three touchdowns and ran for another 78-yard score for IMG Academy on Saturday night.
    — Jeff Sentell, AJC.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of score
Noun
  • Summaries of their sins and absurdities have now filled several books, but a sampler is instructive.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Moro scored for Argentina from a free kick after a five meter scrum after Australia had defended stoutly with 14 men, with Harry Potter in the sin bin.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of sin
Noun
  • And according to a European intelligence report this past June, Russian lenders are vulnerable due to soaring indebtedness and deteriorating loans.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • The lack of access to institutional credit and chronic indebtedness is also seen by some researchers as a contributing factor to the phenomenon of farmer suicides in rural India.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of indebtedness
Noun
  • If Paul Baker wins, Nina will report the zoning violation that is their household.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Other alleged violations — which total 23 in all — range from not having any smoke or carbon monoxide detectors throughout the property to failing to maintain the building in a structurally safe and stable condition.
    — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of violation
Noun
  • Before GLP-1s won over insurers and consumers alike, a whole generation of obesity drugs failed to reach blockbuster status; some instead went to bankruptcy court.
    — Avalon Pernell, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • On October 15, 2018, Sears Holdings Corporation filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
    — Jason Goldberg, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of bankruptcy

Browse Nearby Words

debs
debt
debts
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Cite this Entry

“Debt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debt. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on debt

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about debt

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