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

But the site has faced criticism for its limited scope, with fewer than 60 drugs listed and discounts that can’t be used with insurance or go toward a deductible. —Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026

Many plans have multiple different deductible amounts, coinsurance rates, copayments and even out-of-pocket maximums, depending on several factors. —Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026

Noun

Home warranties also have much lower coverage limits and usually require an out-of-pocket service fee, while home insurance is meant for total coverage and uses deductibles rather than service fees. —Dan Simms, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026

The study also noted a spike at the end of the year, when patients have met their insurance deductibles, making vasectomies easier on the wallet. —Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 20 Mar. 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