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national debt

noun

the financial obligations of a national government resulting from deficit spending.

national debt

noun

Also called (esp US): public debt.��the total outstanding borrowings of a nation's central government

national debt

The debt of the government; the amount of borrowing by the government to meet expenditures exceeding tax revenues.

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A large national debt can inhibit growth and drive up interest rates.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of national debt¹

An Americanism dating back to 1775–85

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

He said he didn't care about the car subsidies, he wanted to shrink the national debt, which he says is an existential threat to the nation.

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Musk had been criticizing the Trump administration over its signature legislation, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” for its projected impact on the national debt throughout last week.

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Musk’s criticisms of the bill came after the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said that the “One Big Beautiful Bill” will add $2.4 trillion to the national debt over 10 years.

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Moskowitz said that the "One Big Beautiful Bill" that recently passed the House would do nothing but inflate the national debt and kill off popular programs.

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Treasury department officials say that if that limit is not increased by sometime in August, the nation would face the unprecedented prospect of defaulting on its national debt.

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