deficit

noun

ˈde-fə-sət How to pronounce deficit (audio)
Definition of deficitnext
as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number a growing deficit in the number of hours devoted to sleep

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 deficit Gordon would score on a 12-yard run in the final minute of the third quarter, closing the deficit to five points in the fourth quarter. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026 Local governments are running deficits, with many struggling to pay teachers and civil servants their salaries and benefits on time. — Carl Minzner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Oct. 2026 And Honda has now introduced a second power unit upgrade that has helped drivability even while at a power deficit to the others. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 5 Oct. 2026 The deficit this year is over 6 percent of GDP, higher than in any year of the Great Depression. — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deficit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficit
  1. shortage
  2. lack
  3. deficiency
Noun
  • The proposals envision halting attacks on energy infrastructure, which have caused fuel shortages in Russia and power outages in Ukraine, and on Black Sea shipping needed to get vital grain exports to world markets.
    — HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Additionally, container shortages have been reported at inland container depots across northern India.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of shortage
Noun
  • Nearly all its arrangements hew to a standard radio-pop format, and in the record’s back half this lack of imagination becomes tiresome.
    — Enzo Escober, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Wednesday’s filing marks the latest escalation in the legal fight over conditions at the facility and the government’s lack of compliance with the court’s directives.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of lack
Noun
  • Silver found that prisoners remained exposed to grave threats of harm and suffering because of systematic deficiencies in their healthcare.
    — Jacques Billeaud, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • After many picked the Rays to finish last in the AL East, Cash maximized the talent on his team and found ways to win, even with some clear roster deficiencies.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of deficiency

Browse Nearby Words

deficiently
deficit
deficits
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deficit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficit. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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