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
Relevance
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 deficit
The pandemic caused a 25 million deficit in office space being leased, according to the report.
—
Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 2 Sep. 2025
This deficit starts at the managerial level, where McKinsey says just 87 women (82 women of color) earn managerial promotions per 100 men.
—Vidya Plainfield, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
The Saudi government needs cash now to plug its deficit and pay for its economic transformation, and Aramco is likely among the first spots for Riyadh to raid.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2025
And like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the psychiatric focus was on males.
—New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deficit
Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 2 Sep. 2025
This deficit starts at the managerial level, where McKinsey says just 87 women (82 women of color) earn managerial promotions per 100 men.
—Vidya Plainfield, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
The Saudi government needs cash now to plug its deficit and pay for its economic transformation, and Aramco is likely among the first spots for Riyadh to raid.
—Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 1 Sep. 2025
And like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the psychiatric focus was on males.
—New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deficit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficit
Noun
-
But 2025 marks the highest number of staffing shortages since 2018.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
This is driven by a shortage of primary care doctors and patients’ desire for more personalized care, Harrell said.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
And the noticeable dips also don’t come for the generations of players who would be expecting to play their peak years for England during wartime either — note the lack of games in the 1940s in the earlier graph.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
The lack of winning has been exactly the problem during the Chuba years at Carolina.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Most people get a sufficient amount of this key vitamin through their diets alone—biotin can be found in beef liver and eggs, and for those without a biotin deficiency, biotin is unlikely to help.—
Brianna Peters,
Vogue,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Folate deficiency in a mother increases the risk of neural tube defects including spina bifida, but the link to autism is unclear.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deficit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficit. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share