Meaning & use
deficits
Last updated
Amounts by which something, especially money, falls short of what is needed or expected.
See it in a sentence
The government struggled to close the budget deficits without raising taxes.
Doctors noted mild cognitive deficits following the patient's injury.
A note on using this word
Widely used in both economic contexts, such as budget deficits, and medical or psychological contexts, such as cognitive deficits.
Words with a similar meaning
shortfallsshortages
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
surplusesexcesses
Make it your own
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