Meaning & use
deficit
The amount by which something, especially money, falls short of what is needed or expected.
See it in a sentence
The company reported a deficit of two million dollars for the fiscal year.
Years of overspending left the government running a large budget deficit.
A note on using this word
Most common in financial contexts like 'budget deficit' or 'trade deficit,' but also used for non-money shortfalls.
Words with a similar meaning
shortfallshortage
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
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