indebted

adjective

in·​debt·​ed in-ˈde-təd How to pronounce indebted (audio)
1
: owing gratitude or recognition to another : beholden
2
: owing money

Examples of indebted in a Sentence

thereafter forever felt indebted to the producer for giving her her lucky break
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 brand’s latest, which debuted at this year’s China International Motorcycle Trade Exhibition, sports a chunky, cyberpunk-indebted design and bold lighting package that wouldn’t look out of place zipping around a futuristic metropolis. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2025 Studies in North Carolina, Virginia, and New York have found that nonprofit hospitals commonly garnish wages from indebted patients, with some studies finding those patients tend to work in low-wage occupations. Rae Ellen Bichell, Fortune, 29 Sep. 2025 Starring Lee Jung-jae, the series follows a group of indebted individuals who are lured into a macabre number of challenges that promise riches for the winner. Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025 The effects of the railway have been profound for Laos, a small developing country that is now heavily indebted to China. Susannah Patton, Foreign Affairs, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for indebted

Word History

Etymology

Middle English indetted, from Anglo-French endetté, past participle of endetter to run into debt, from en- + dette debt

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of indebted was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Indebted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indebted. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

indebted

adjective
in·​debt·​ed in-ˈdet-əd How to pronounce indebted (audio)
: being in debt : owing something (as money or gratitude)

More from Merriam-Webster on indebted

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