Synonyms of deficit

deficit

noun

ˈde-fə-sət 

as in shortage

a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number

a growing deficit in the number of hours devoted to sleep

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shortage
• lack
• deficiency
• drought
• poverty
• scarcity
• famine
• insufficiency
• inadequacy
• absence
• paucity
• crunch
• lacuna
• undersupply
• failure
• inadequateness
• pinch
• dearth
• scantiness
• omission
• scarceness
• want
• necessity
• meagerness
• privation
• skimpiness
• need
• poorness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• amplitude
• adequacy
• wealth
• abundance
• sufficiency
• plenty
• opulence
• surplus
• plenitude
• excess
• oversupply
• overabundance
• surfeit
• copiousness
• bountifulness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deficit

The Astros had another chance to cut the deficit with two outs in the eighth, but Brendon Little struck out Alvarez with a runner on first. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026

Nonpartisan analysts projected the budget, unless adjusted, was on pace for a nearly $2 billion deficit, a 10% gap, unless adjustments were made. — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2026

Golden State had lost two games in a row coming into Sunday night’s matchup with the Toronto Tempo, but the Valkyries overcame a second-half deficit to win 96-79. — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026

The record-setting Warriors were only a few months removed from erasing a 3-1 series deficit to eliminate Durant’s Thunder in the Western Conference finals. — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026