deficit

deficit — noun

1. the situation in which the money spent by a government, company, or organization

1.nounB2
Definition

the situation in which the money spent by a government, company, or organization is more than the money it receives over a set period of time

Example

Sofia noted that the government announced a budget deficit of fifty billion dollars this year.

collocation: budget deficit

Sahil's small business ran a deficit for six months before turning a profit.

collocation: run a deficit

Common collocations
  • budget deficit
  • trade deficit
  • fiscal deficit
  • run a deficit
  • in deficit
  • reduce the deficit
  • narrow the deficit
Synonyms
  • shortfall

    broader; applies to any resource gap, not just money

  • loss

    describes money already gone rather than a calculated gap

  • debt

    the total amount owed, not the annual shortfall

Antonyms
  • surplus

    the amount by which income exceeds spending

Grammar Patterns

deficit + of + amount

run a deficit

in deficit

Usage Note

Often used with the verb 'run' ('run a deficit') and the preposition 'in' ('in deficit'). Frequently modified by adjectives such as 'budget,' 'trade,' or 'fiscal.'

Common Mistakes

The national debt this year is two hundred billion' (when meaning the annual shortfall).
The national deficit this year is two hundred billion.
Deficit is the annual difference; debt is the total accumulated amount owed over time.

2. the number of points or goals that a player or team trails an opponent by during

2.nounB2
Definition

the number of points or goals that a player or team trails an opponent by during a match or sporting contest

Example

Kwame watched the basketball team overcome a twelve-point deficit in the final quarter.

collocation: overcome a deficit

After the first half, the visiting team faced a three-goal deficit they could not close.

Common collocations
  • overcome a deficit
  • make up a deficit
  • face a deficit
  • a point deficit
  • a goal deficit
  • recover from a deficit
Synonyms
  • disadvantage

    more general; not tied to sports scoring

  • gap

    informal; describes the difference but not the trailing position specifically

Antonyms
  • lead

    the amount by which a team or player is ahead

Grammar Patterns

deficit + of + number

overcome a deficit

make up a deficit

Usage Note

Common collocations include 'overcome a deficit,' 'make up a deficit,' and 'come back from a deficit.' Usually appears with a number (e.g., 'a 5-point deficit'). The opposite concept is a 'lead.'

Common Mistakes

Our team had a three-point debt going into the final quarter.
Our team had a three-point deficit going into the final quarter.
Use 'deficit,' not 'debt,' for being behind in a game.

3. a weakness or lack in a physical or mental function that prevents normal operati

3.nounC1
Definition

a weakness or lack in a physical or mental function that prevents normal operation, often resulting from injury or a medical condition

Example

After the stroke, Adina had a speech deficit that required months of therapy.

collocation: speech deficit

Hui learned that children with an attention deficit often struggle to focus in noisy classrooms.

Common collocations
  • attention deficit
  • speech deficit
  • memory deficit
  • cognitive deficit
  • mobility deficit
Synonyms
  • impairment

    more formal and clinical; suggests a more serious or permanent condition

  • disorder

    implies a diagnosed medical condition rather than a measured gap in ability

  • deficiency

    often used for lacking a substance or quality rather than a functional ability

Grammar Patterns

attention deficit

speech deficit

memory deficit

Usage Note

Most common in medical and psychological contexts. Frequently appears as part of compound terms naming the affected ability: 'attention deficit,' 'speech deficit,' 'cognitive deficit.' The term 'deficit' in this sense is more clinical than 'problem' or 'issue.'

Common Mistakes

He has a speaking debt after the surgery.
He has a speech deficit after the surgery.
For ability problems, use 'deficit,' not 'debt.'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Deficit, shortfall, debt, loss, and arrears all relate to insufficient money, but they describe different situations. A deficit is the gap between what is spent and what is received within a specific period — typically used for budgets and trade balances. Shortfall is broader: it can refer to any gap in quantity, such as a crop shortfall or a staffing shortfall, not just money. Debt is the total amount currently owed by an individual or organization, accumulated over time; a large deficit can increase debt, but the two are not the same thing. Loss describes money that has permanently left the business through expenses or failed investments, whereas a deficit is a calculated difference. Arrears refers to money that is overdue and should have been paid earlier. For example, 'The government ran a $200 billion deficit this year' describes an annual gap, while 'The government's debt now stands at $30 trillion' describes total borrowing.

shortfalldebt ↗loss ↗arrears

Common collocations

Nouns

  • budget deficit
  • trade deficit
  • fiscal deficit
  • deficit spending

Adverbs

Phrases

  • run a deficit
  • reduce the deficit
  • narrow the deficit
  • overcome a deficit
  • make up a deficit

Prepositions

  • in deficit
  • deficit of

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'deficit' comes directly from Latin 'deficit,' meaning 'it is lacking' or 'it is wanting.' This is the third-person singular present active indicative of the Latin verb 'deficere,' which means 'to desert, fail, or lack.' The term entered financial English in the late 1700s to describe a shortfall in government budgets, and later expanded to sports and medical contexts.