1
: something owed : obligation
unable to pay off his debts
owe them a debt of gratitude
a criminal's debt to society
2
: a state of being under obligation to pay or repay someone or something in return for something received : a state of owing
deeply in debt to creditors
3
law and business
: the common-law action for the recovery of money held to be due
Examples of debt in a Sentence
He is trying to pay off gambling debts.
The company has run up huge debts.
Their debts are piling up.
He's been working three jobs in an attempt to get out of debt.
The company was in debt but is now turning a profit.
I am deep in debt.
I'm thousands of dollars in debt.
She went into debt to pay for college.
I'm worried that we will fall into debt.
Recent Examples on the Web
Moreover, $14 trillion in U.S. debt maturing soon will be refinanced — likely at higher rates, noted CNBC.
—
Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Then, in a flurry of new moves in early May, officials sought to offset the impact of the Trump's tariffs, which threatened to further trouble an economy already beset by a property crisis, falling consumer demand and a high level of local government debt.
—John Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
Addressing the debt limit With a major deadline to address the debt limit on the horizon, the legislation would raise the debt ceiling by $4 trillion.
—Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 22 May 2025
Yields have been on the rise in part because of worries about the U.S. government’s spiraling debt.
—Matt Ott, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for debt
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Peter Cohan, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Then, in a flurry of new moves in early May, officials sought to offset the impact of the Trump's tariffs, which threatened to further trouble an economy already beset by a property crisis, falling consumer demand and a high level of local government debt.
—John Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
Addressing the debt limit With a major deadline to address the debt limit on the horizon, the legislation would raise the debt ceiling by $4 trillion.
—Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 22 May 2025
Yields have been on the rise in part because of worries about the U.S. government’s spiraling debt.
—Matt Ott, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for debt
Cite this Entry
“Debt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debt. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
debt
noun2
: something owed to another : a thing or amount due
pay a debt of $10
3
: a condition of owing
hopelessly in debt
Legal Definition
debt
noun1
: something owed: as
a
: a specific sum of money or a performance due another especially by agreement (as a loan agreement)
to pay the debts…of the United States—U.S. Constitution art. I
U.S. Constitution art. Ia debt for alimony
b
: an obligation to pay or perform on another's claim
discharged the debt
compare asset, equity sense 4
Note: It is often up to the courts to decide what is or is not a debt under various laws. Courts disagree whether criminal restitution is a debt under the Bankruptcy Code.
—
antecedent debt
: debt that is incurred prior to a property transfer paying or securing the debt compare preference
—
bad debt
: a debt that cannot be collected
Note: An income tax deduction is allowed for bad debts.
—
consumer debt
: debt that is incurred by an individual primarily for the purchase of consumer goods or services compare consumer credit
—
judgment debt
: a debt established by a judgment and enforceable by a legal process (as an execution of judgment or attachment)
c
: a state of owing
in debt
d
: the aggregate of money owed
the national debt
Etymology
Old French dette, ultimately from Latin debita, plural of debitum debt, from neuter of debitus, past participle of debere to owe
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