deficit spending

NOUN

spending in excess of revenue or income

Synonyms

STRONGEST

budget deficit

WEAK

compensatory spending debt debt explosion deficit financing in the red megadebt negative cash flow no assets overspending paying out in excess of income pump priming

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Double-digit raises have been promised to union workers by a school system that for months has proclaimed that it is in dire financial straits, trapped in deficit spending and facing potential insolvency in four years.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

That translates to higher costs for new mortgages and car loans, corporate borrowing and U.S. deficit spending.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

“Current deficit spending as a percent of GDP of 5.2% would be 6.1% without tariff revenue,” says Bill Merz, head of capital markets research at U.S.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

Trade wars, deficit spending and a falling dollar helped gold prices surge 65% in 2025 and to records above $5,300 a troy ounce in January.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

Failure to reach agreement with multilateral lenders in late 1995 led to rising deficit spending and subsequently increasing inflation and a drop in the value of the Haitian currency in the final months of 1995.

From The 1996 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency