deficit

noun

def·​i·​cit ˈde-fə-sət 

 British also  di-ˈfi-sət,

 or  ˈdē-fə-sət

1

a(1)

: deficiency in amount or quality

a deficit in rainfall

(2)

: a lack or impairment in an ability or functional capacity

cognitive deficits

a hearing deficit

b

: disadvantage

scored two runs to overcome a 2–1 deficit

2

a

: an excess of expenditure over revenue

facing a deficit of $3 billion

raise taxes to help reduce the budget deficit

b

: a loss (see loss sense 4b) in business operations

the year's operating deficit

Synonyms

• shortage
• lack
• deficiency

Examples of deficit in a Sentence

The government is facing a deficit of $3 billion.

We will reduce the federal budget deficit.

The team overcame a four-point deficit to win the game.

She has a slight hearing deficit in her left ear.

Recent Examples on the Web

The city is now being encouraged to cut staff to reduce its deficit and overtime pay. —arkansasonline.com, 11 July 2025

The second quarter reporting season comes at a pivotal point for the stock market, with the S & P 500 and Nasdaq Composite trading at all-time highs this week even after an onslaught of bad news regarding higher tariffs, a ballooning fiscal deficit, softening growth and elevated geopolitical risk. —Sarah Min, CNBC, 11 July 2025

Rays reliever Bryan Baker didn’t help his cause by issuing back-to-back walks to Trevor Story and Romy Gonzalez to start the seventh, and Marcelo Mayer made the righty pay with an RBI double to cut the deficit to 3-2. —Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 11 July 2025

Mariners starter Bryan Woo held the Yankees hitless through seven innings, but the Yankees erupted for three runs against Woo and reliever Matt Brash in the eighth, cutting their deficit to 5-3. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 11 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French déficit, going back to Middle French, "item lacking in an inventory," borrowed from Latin dēficit "it is lacking," 3rd person singular present indicative of dēficere "to be lacking, run short, fail" — more at deficient

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing deficit

• attention deficit disorder
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• deficit spending
• trade deficit

Kids Definition

deficit

noun

def·​i·​cit ˈdef-ə-sət 

: a deficiency in amount

especially : an excess of expenses over income

Medical Definition

deficit

noun

de·​fi·​cit

ˈdef-(ə-)sət; British also di-ˈfis-ət, ˈdē-fə-sət

: a deficiency of a substance

a potassium deficit

also : a lack or impairment of a functional capacity

cognitive deficits