debt

noun

ˈdet How to pronounce debt (audio)
Definition of debtnext
1
as in obligation
something (as money) which is owed he filed for bankruptcy when his debts exceeded his assets

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crime
a breaking of a moral or legal code forgive us our debts

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of debt The pay is so high that landing an entry-level analyst position at an investment bank feels like a golden ticket, especially for a first-generation student, a student from a low-income background, or a student with any student loan debt. — Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026 That’s after excluding wealth from the top 1% of households, subtracting debts and other liabilities, as well as deducting retirement spending, charitable donations, taxes and fees. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026 Back-end ratio The back-end ratio, often 36%, represents a borrower's DTI and measures the difference between gross monthly income and all debt obligations. — Deane Biermeier, USA Today, 8 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for debt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debt
  1. obligation
  2. crime
  3. score
  4. sin
  5. indebtedness
  6. violation
  7. bankruptcy
Noun
  • According to a stadium lease between the city and the Public Building Authority signed in 2009, the city had authorized issuing $12 million in short-term financing obligations to build Dickey-Stephens Park, which opened in 2007.
    — Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 6 Aug. 2026
  • One thing seems certain — any Chinese citizen with this type of account needs to be paying attention to their obligations, and the sooner the better, to avoid falling afoul of the new mandate.
    — Anniek Bao,Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of obligation
Noun
  • Chainalysis attributes 84% of illicit crypto transaction volume to stablecoins, the endpoint of a shift the crime economy started making years ago, and stablecoins now settle more monthly volume than ACH.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The case is drawing attention to youth crime and the juvenile justice system, raising questions about how young offenders are held accountable.
    — Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of crime
Noun
  • Conductor Nathalie Stutzmann made a convincing case for an unwieldy composition whose autographed score was given by Wagner's daughter-in-law, Winifried, to Hitler and lost in the destruction that ended World War II.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Brees showed off his impressive hops after the score by dunking the ball over the goal post.
    — Larry Holder, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of score
Noun
  • Seven of our contributors gamely shared (some of) their secret sins.
    — Sabrina Jaszi, The Dial, 4 Aug. 2026
  • And, no, being a writer isn’t a sin, but, at least in my extended family, stories are sacred, and who gets to tell them is of great importance.
    — Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of sin
Noun
  • Section 61 generally defines gross income quite broadly, including income from the discharge of indebtedness.
    — Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 29 May 2026
  • That’s because one way a district can qualify for financial hardship is to have bond indebtedness of at least 60% of the total bonding capacity.
    — Jemma Stephenson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Definition of indebtedness
Noun
  • The lawsuit asserts claims for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and violations of state and local laws protecting freelance workers, as well as California’s Unfair Competition Law.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Grisham is currently suing Miller over violations of the terms of a confidential settlement related to his defamation case against her.
    — Rachel Scott, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of violation
Noun
  • Here, the bankruptcy trustee knew about the Purplemed sale for $15 million and that most of the funds were in the Children's Trust.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Salad and Go filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and closed all of its locations yesterday.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of bankruptcy

Browse Nearby Words

debs
debt
debts
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Cite this Entry

“Debt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debt. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on debt

Nglish: Translation of debt for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about debt

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