Money and banking / B2

DET/det/

Debt is money owed: in debt; national debt; student debt. Loan is the money lent (already related in B1); deficit is a gap in a budget (already in the dictionary). Uncountable in much economic writing; a debt can be countable. Do not confuse debt with doubt (silent b in debt: /det/). UK news: household debt, debt relief.

Meaning

Money that you owe; also in debt (owing money).

Examples

• “Student debt shaped her choice of first job.”
• “The chancellor warned that national debt would rise if the tax cut went ahead.”

Good to know

in debt; household / national / student debt. Pronunciation: /det/. Related: loan, deficit. Countable: a debt of £X.

Topics

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