deductible

1 of 2

adjective

de·​duct·​ible di-ˈdək-tə-bəl 

dē-

: allowable as a deduction

expenses that are deductible from taxable income

deductibility

di-ˌdək-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

dē-;

noun

deductible

2 of 2

noun

plural deductibles

: the amount of financial loss specified in an insurance policy that the insurer will not be held responsible for and that the insurance holder must pay

The deductible on your insurance is the amount of money on an insurance claim you would pay before the insurance company pays. It's what you'll be paying out of pocket prior to the insurance coverage.

—Steve Fiorillo

also : a clause in an insurance policy that relieves the insurer of responsibility for an initial specified loss of the kind insured against

Examples of deductible in a Sentence

Adjective

The trip was deductible as a business expense.

Noun

I have an insurance policy with a $1,000 deductible.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Under an employer's accountable plan, a phone reimbursement is tax-free to you and fully deductible for the company. — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

In addition to fundraising efforts to pay the $250,000 insurance deductible, the bandstand is located within a historic district, and city officials require an additional step of approval before moving forward with construction. — Chierstin Roth, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Noun

Average family health insurance premiums reached $26,993 last year, according to KFF, with workers contributing $6,850 before deductibles and other cost sharing. — Eugene Litvak, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026

The bill would allow trial sponsors to cover trial participants’ medical costs, such as insurance deductibles and copays, and nonmedical expenses like travel and childcare. — Michelle Andrews, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1856, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1922, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing deductible

• tax-deductible

Rhymes for deductible

• indestructible
• ineluctable
• nondeductible

Legal Definition

deductible

1 of 2 adjective

de·​duc·​ti·​ble di-ˈdək-tə-bəl 

: allowable as a deduction

deductibility

-ˌdək-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

deductible

2 of 2 noun

: a clause in an insurance policy that relieves the insurer of responsibility for an initial specified loss of the kind insured against

also : the amount specified in such a clause compare franchise sense 4a