Synonyms

trade deficit

American

[treyd def-uh-sit] / ˈtreɪd ˌdɛf ə sɪt /

noun

Economics.

a negative balance of trade, or the amount by which the value of a country’s imports exceeds that of its exports.

trade deficit Cultural

The condition that exists when the value of what a country imports exceeds the value of what it exports; also called an unfavorable balance of trade.

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Trade deficits, because they imply that capital is leaving a country, can cause higher interest rates.

Etymology

Origin of trade deficit

First recorded in 1855–60

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 bloating trade deficit, that's hitting the EU as a whole, is being dubbed the latest "China shock".

From BBC

The U.S. has run trade deficits for most years since the mid-1970s.

From The Wall Street Journal

Surging chip imports from Taiwan to feed the AI boom also helped prop up the trade deficit.

From The Wall Street Journal

What a relic, which wasn’t intended to manage a trade deficit per se.

From The Wall Street Journal

The U.S. trade deficit in goods rose to a record high of $1.24 trillion in 2025, driven by a 4.3% increase in goods imports, according to data published Thursday by the Census Bureau.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023