Definitions

debt

[det] / dɛt /

NOUN

money owed to others

Synonyms

STRONGEST

arrears bill capital commitment credit damage deficit due indebtedness liability mortgage obligation price tag receipt

STRONG

IOU albatross baggage bite check chit claim cuff debenture debit dues duty encumbrance invoice manifest note reckoning responsibility score tab tally voucher

WEAK

arrearage bad news below the line dead horse in hock in the hole in the red outstandings promissory note red ink

Antonyms

STRONG

irresponsibility

WEAK

asset cash excess profit

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.

The capital-intensive OCI shift led to a 68% rise in debt to $162 billion and a projected drop in operating margin to 43%.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

Legere and other U.S. executives led talks with American regulators, and T-Mobile ultimately landed the deal that valued Sprint at $59 billion, including debt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

Oracle confirmed that it doesn’t expect to raise any more debt for the rest of 2026.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026

Forbes tallied Jim Justice’s net worth to be as much as $1.9 billion until 2021; more recently, it declared him “broke” and facing $1 billion in debt.

From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026

How do you explain to an innocent citizen of the free world the importance of a credit default swap on a double-A tranche of a subprime-backed collateralized debt obligation?

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Vocabulary lists containing debt

Material World: Shopping Lingo

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

The Great Depression and The New Deal

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Economics

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!