as in shortages
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
a growing deficit in the number of hours devoted to sleep
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Recent Examples of deficits
Now, far fewer writers are working, contributing to eight-figure deficits in the union health fund.
—
Gene Maddaus, Variety, 11 Mar. 2026
As has been reported for months and was confirmed by the WGA’s pattern of demands last week, addressing funding deficits in the unions’ health and pension plans will be the top priority this cycle.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2026
Another clash is over taxation in several forms, arising from the state’s chronic budget deficits, financial squeezes in local governments and reductions in federal aid.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Those trillions showed up as higher deficits, higher borrowing costs, and a decade of elevated geopolitical risk—a path markets never modeled in 2003.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
Chicago faces an annual fiscal and budget crisis due to chronic structural deficits, unfunded pension liabilities and rising costs.
—Juan Rangel, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
President Karol Nawrocki and his predecessor Andrzej Duda, backed by the party, overcame large poll deficits to win elections in 2025 and 2015 respectively.
—Maciej Martewicz, Bloomberg, 7 Mar. 2026
The Islanders had erased 2-0 deficits in each of their last three wins, but the Ducks kept them off the board in part by killing three penalties in the second period.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The past two years, the Sacramento City Council raised parking fees and axed dozens of vacant positions to help balance its multimillion-dollar budget deficits.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Gene Maddaus, Variety, 11 Mar. 2026
As has been reported for months and was confirmed by the WGA’s pattern of demands last week, addressing funding deficits in the unions’ health and pension plans will be the top priority this cycle.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 10 Mar. 2026
Another clash is over taxation in several forms, arising from the state’s chronic budget deficits, financial squeezes in local governments and reductions in federal aid.
—Dan Walters, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Those trillions showed up as higher deficits, higher borrowing costs, and a decade of elevated geopolitical risk—a path markets never modeled in 2003.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
Chicago faces an annual fiscal and budget crisis due to chronic structural deficits, unfunded pension liabilities and rising costs.
—Juan Rangel, Chicago Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
President Karol Nawrocki and his predecessor Andrzej Duda, backed by the party, overcame large poll deficits to win elections in 2025 and 2015 respectively.
—Maciej Martewicz, Bloomberg, 7 Mar. 2026
The Islanders had erased 2-0 deficits in each of their last three wins, but the Ducks kept them off the board in part by killing three penalties in the second period.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The past two years, the Sacramento City Council raised parking fees and axed dozens of vacant positions to help balance its multimillion-dollar budget deficits.
—Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 4 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficits
Noun
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Teacher morale is increasingly important as states continue to struggle with teacher shortages, especially in hard-to-fill jobs like special education, science, technology, math, engineering and bilingual education.—
Diana Lambert,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
According to Burton, the situation becomes even more complex when educators encounter resource shortages that affect students directly.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As of Wednesday, firearms dealers are required under state law to use scanners that pull the prospective purchaser’s name, date of birth and other details from the card’s magnetic strip, which the new design lacks — except if they are authorized otherwise.—
Madison Smalstig,
Sacbee.com,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Each provides amino acids that the other lacks, so eating them together gives you all the essential amino acids.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In games like Tuesday, when that deep postseason run seems realistic, UCLA pops the ball around on offense and communicates and hustles to overcome its deficiencies on defense.—
Aaron Heisen,
Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The detention center operators would be required to correct any deficiencies identified by inspectors or face a civil penalty up to $25,000 a day for each violation.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deficits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficits. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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