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
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Net interest payments on the nearly $39 trillion national debt totaled $79 billion in February, more than any category except Social Security, income security — which includes programs such as unemployment insurance, housing assistance and food aid — and health care.
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Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
The loss of the IEEPA tariffs is a massive blow to the administration’s hopes of tariff revenue not just paying down the nearly $39 trillion national debt, but being used to give rebates to Americans and replace income tax.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
The study projects deficits surpassing $2 trillion for years to come, and the widening gap between federal spending and tax revenue means that the national debt will hit levels not seen even in wartime.
—Scott Hodge, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2026
As the national debt rushes toward $39 trillion and Social Security and Medicare get nearer to insolvency with each tick of the clock, pressure mounts on the White House and Congress to craft a more sustainable path forward.
—Arkansas Online, 2 Mar. 2026
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Jeff Cox, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
The loss of the IEEPA tariffs is a massive blow to the administration’s hopes of tariff revenue not just paying down the nearly $39 trillion national debt, but being used to give rebates to Americans and replace income tax.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
The study projects deficits surpassing $2 trillion for years to come, and the widening gap between federal spending and tax revenue means that the national debt will hit levels not seen even in wartime.
—Scott Hodge, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2026
As the national debt rushes toward $39 trillion and Social Security and Medicare get nearer to insolvency with each tick of the clock, pressure mounts on the White House and Congress to craft a more sustainable path forward.
—Arkansas Online, 2 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 20 Mar. 2026.
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