deficit spending

noun

: the spending of public funds raised by borrowing rather than by taxation

Examples of deficit spending in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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But after that, he and practically everyone else in Sacramento foresee deficit spending without extensive fiscal restructuring. Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026 Then, in 1978, Senator Byrd proposed an amendment to prohibit deficit spending starting in 1981. Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 14 May 2026 The Biggs amendment would have permanently stopped deficit spending by limiting federal expenditures to the average annual revenue collected over the previous three years. Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 18 Mar. 2026 The two fiscal conservatives were the only House Republicans to initially vote against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last summer over concerns about deficit spending. Sophie Brams, The Hill, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deficit spending

Word History

First Known Use

1938, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deficit spending was in 1938

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Cite this Entry

“Deficit spending.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deficit%20spending. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

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