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

Overtime pay is deductible up to $12,500, or $25,000 for joint filers, through 2028. —Sylvan Lane, The Hill, 17 June 2025

Eight states do not have to worry about whether or not their state income tax payments are deductible when calculating federal taxes. —Grover Norquist, Boston Herald, 14 June 2025

Noun

This time, Obamacare's opponents are targeting a measure that requires most private insurance companies to provide free preventive care, without co-pays or deductibles, to adults and children. —Nina Totenberg, NPR, 16 June 2025

Many scrambled to find new coverage, often with much higher premiums and deductibles. —Jamie Gold, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025

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