national debt

noun

1. the financial obligations of a national government resulting from deficit spending.

national debt

noun

1. the total outstanding borrowings of a nation's central government Also called (esp US)public debt

national debt

1. The debt of the government; the amount of borrowing by the government to meet expenditures exceeding tax revenues .

Notes

A large national debt can inhibit growth and drive up interest rates .

Word History and Origins

Origin of national debt¹

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85

Example Sentences

Extending the bill would add an estimated $4 trillion to the national debt over the next ten years, the Congressional Budget Office estimated.

From Salon

How do you abandon deeply held beliefs about character, personal responsibility, foreign policy and the national debt in a matter of months?

From Salon

And America’s national debt held by the public is currently equal to around 97% of the size of the economy.

From BBC

Project 2025 claims that they are “the principal drivers of our $31-trillion national debt. ... In essence, our deficit problem is a Medicare and Medicaid problem.”

From Los Angeles Times

But Harris' and Trump's proposals won't do much to bring down the national debt, according to an analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

From Salon