noun · neutral

budget deficit

/ˈbʌdʒɪt ˈdɛfɪsɪt/BUD·get DEF·i·cit

Band 5-6task2speaking

the shortfall that occurs when a government's spending exceeds its revenue

Examples

A large budget deficit can increase national debt if not controlled.

The government pledged to reduce the budget deficit over the next four years.

Analysts noted that the budget deficit widened after the stimulus package.

Band 8 sentence

Closing the budget deficit will require difficult choices on both spending cuts and revenue measures.

Collocations

  • reduce the budget deficit
  • run a budget deficit
  • large budget deficit

Word family

budget noun / verbdeficit nounfiscal adjective

Common mistakes

deficit of budgetbudget deficit

deficit budgetbudget deficit

Say it for a higher band

5deficit budget6budget's deficit7+budget deficit

Synonyms

fiscal deficit

Easily confused

fiscal deficit

The fiscal deficit reached 6% of GDP last year.

Related words

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In Society & Government

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