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
Fiscal hawks like to drum up interest in the national debt by making the astronomical numbers more tangible.
—
Martha Gimbel, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026
All else equal, ballooning America’s national debt should drive up the government’s borrowing costs and lead to higher interest rates for consumers, who would feel the pinch in their monthly mortgage and credit card payments.
—Ben Ritz, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
These firms buy up struggling countries’ national debt for cheap, sue them for years, and demand massive payouts with interest, while schools, hospitals, and basic services in these countries fall apart due to lack of funds.
—Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, New York Daily News, 4 June 2026
The national debt is now roughly 100% of GDP, crossing that threshold in late April, and is projected to climb to 120% by 2036.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 June 2026
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Martha Gimbel, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026
All else equal, ballooning America’s national debt should drive up the government’s borrowing costs and lead to higher interest rates for consumers, who would feel the pinch in their monthly mortgage and credit card payments.
—Ben Ritz, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
These firms buy up struggling countries’ national debt for cheap, sue them for years, and demand massive payouts with interest, while schools, hospitals, and basic services in these countries fall apart due to lack of funds.
—Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, New York Daily News, 4 June 2026
The national debt is now roughly 100% of GDP, crossing that threshold in late April, and is projected to climb to 120% by 2036.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 June 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 18 Jun. 2026.
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