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

• crunch
• dearth
• deficiency
• drought
• drouth
• failure
• famine
• inadequacy
• inadequateness
• insufficiency
• lack
• lacuna
• paucity
• pinch
• poverty
• scantiness
• scarceness
• scarcity
• shortage
• undersupply
• want

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

Debt sustainability concerns Gita Gopinath, International Monetary Fund deputy chief, voiced concerns over the U.S. national debt, stressing the need to reduce the federal deficit, which equals 7% of GDP. —Detroit Free Press, 20 Apr. 2024

This year, however, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed to delay the final increase to help reduce the state’s budget deficit. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024

However, the Clippers responded by winning the next two games to even the series including coming back from an almost 20-point deficit to win game three. —Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2024

However, in a prime example of a final score not necessarily reflecting a game’s flow, the Legion needed to overcome a shaky start and 17-0 first-half deficit to improve to 5-1 overall and 2-0 at home this season. —Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2024

Following Wade’s first-inning single, the Giants went 14 up, 14 down, but Jorge Soler at least made sure their next base runner was worthwhile, ripping a two-out single through the left side of the infield to score Fitzgerald, cutting the deficit to 7-2. —Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024

By the time Scheffler made his way onto the 8th fairway, he was joined atop the leaderboard by playing partner Morikawa, as well as Homa and a streaking Åberg, who birdied two of his first seven holes to make short work of his three-stroke starting deficit. —Jack Bantock, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024

The Suns came back to cut the deficit to six on a basket by Booker with 1:57 to play in the third quarter. —Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 13 Apr. 2024

By contrast, the French government has just lowered its 2024 growth forecast and reported a budget deficit far exceeding its estimate for 2023, prompting it to seek tens of billions of euros of spending cuts. —Rodrigo Orihuela, Fortune Europe, 9 Apr. 2024

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