deficit spending

noun

: the spending of public funds raised by borrowing rather than by taxation

Examples of deficit spending in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The nation’s second-largest school system has been able to sustain deficit spending because of reserves left over from more than $5 billion in one-time pandemic-relief aid. Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025 Aside from generic objections to deficit spending, there are two key Republican critiques of solar tax credits that have formed in the discourse regarding the bill. Susan Tanski, Sun Sentinel, 23 June 2025 The board is set to approve its 2025-26 budget on June 18, a budget that includes deficit spending for the next two years, with a surplus three years out. Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 June 2025 Still, the prospect of a $385 million ask from appropriation bonds is no small request given a state budget forecast that predicts deficit spending by the year 2028-2029. Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deficit spending

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deficit spending was in 1938

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Cite this Entry

“Deficit spending.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deficit%20spending. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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