foreign debt
noun
: the amount of money that a country owes other countries
the nation's growing foreign debt
Examples of foreign debt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Saudi Central Bank, which manages the government’s foreign debt holdings, said in April that total foreign reserves rose in March to $497 billion, a six-year high, even as the US debt holdings fell.
—
Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 19 May 2026
In Chile in 1983, the finance minister’s refusal to socialize private foreign debt drew a cut-off in vital trade credit — oil tankers en route to Santiago turned around — until, under duress, the government relented.
—Sven Van Mourik, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Debt Default In 2017, Venezuela defaulted on $60 billion of foreign debt, at face-value.
—George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 24 Feb. 2026
The South American country has also been in default since 2017 after not being able to pay its foreign debt commitments, unofficially estimated at about $164 billion.
—Miami Herald, 1 Dec. 2025
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Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 19 May 2026
In Chile in 1983, the finance minister’s refusal to socialize private foreign debt drew a cut-off in vital trade credit — oil tankers en route to Santiago turned around — until, under duress, the government relented.
—Sven Van Mourik, The Dial, 31 Mar. 2026
Debt Default In 2017, Venezuela defaulted on $60 billion of foreign debt, at face-value.
—George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 24 Feb. 2026
The South American country has also been in default since 2017 after not being able to pay its foreign debt commitments, unofficially estimated at about $164 billion.
—Miami Herald, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for foreign debt
Cite this Entry
“Foreign debt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreign%20debt. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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