national debt
noun
: the total amount of money that the government of a country owes to companies, countries, etc.
Examples of national debt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Government overspending, national debt and Virginia redistricting, in readers’ eyes.
—
Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2026
The national debt is close to $40 trillion.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
The national debt is growing by about $2 trillion per year, with an additional $1 trillion spent on paying interest on that debt.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
The national debt has ballooned to just under $39 trillion, and the government has been running budget deficits for years.
—Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for national debt
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Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2026
The national debt is close to $40 trillion.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
The national debt is growing by about $2 trillion per year, with an additional $1 trillion spent on paying interest on that debt.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026
The national debt has ballooned to just under $39 trillion, and the government has been running budget deficits for years.
—Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for national debt
Cite this Entry
“National debt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/national%20debt. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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