balance of trade

noun phrase

: the difference in value over a period of time between a country's imports and exports

Examples of balance of trade in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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India's balance of trade figures, out Friday, will receive more scrutiny than usual, given U.S. President Donald Trump's emphasis on trade imbalances between America and its partners. Ganesh Rao, CNBC, 15 May 2025 The administration is sounding like mercantilists, maximizing the nation’s wealth by increasing exports and minimizing imports, essentially creating a favorable balance of trade. Pat Maio, Oc Register, 9 May 2025 Hollywood generated a positive balance of trade with every major foreign market, per the MPA. Todd Spangler, Variety, 5 May 2025 According to the Motion Picture Association, the industry generated a positive balance of trade in every major market in the world, with exports 3.1 times that of imports. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 5 May 2025 Also referred to as a negative balance of trade, it can be calculated for goods, services, and international transactions. Rachel Barber, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025 With export sales of $23 billion in 2023, audiovisual exports consistently generate a positive balance of trade with nearly every other country. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2025 At a time of shrinking demand and high costs, rising protectionism globally, particularly in the US, will stifle our exports and damage over £400m worth of the steel sector's contribution to the UK's balance of trade. David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025 The resulting negative balance of trade (Imports>Exports) is also a negative in the GDP calculation. Robert Barone, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1668, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of balance of trade was in 1668

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Cite this Entry

“Balance of trade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balance%20of%20trade. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

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