debt
B1Neutral to formal. Common in all financial, business, and personal contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A sum of money that is owed or due.
A state of owing something, especially money; an obligation or duty. Also used metaphorically for a non-financial obligation, such as a debt of gratitude.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary meaning is financial, but it is commonly extended to moral or social obligations. The silent 'b' in spelling is a notable orthographic feature.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Identical. Strongly associated with negative financial pressure or moral obligation.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to be in debt to someoneto owe a debt to someoneto pay a debtto run up a debtto get into debtVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in someone's debt”
- “a debt of gratitude”
- “pay one's debt to society”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Discussed in terms of corporate leverage, bad debt, debt financing, and debt-to-equity ratios.
Academic
Analyzed in economics (sovereign debt), sociology (debt and inequality), and ethics.
Everyday
Used for personal finances: credit card debt, mortgage debt, being in debt.
Technical
In finance: secured/unsecured debt, senior/junior debt, debt instrument.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The company was debt-financed.
- He debt-funded his venture.
American English
- The project was debt-funded.
- They decided to debt-finance the expansion.
adjective
British English
- The debt-laden company collapsed.
- He is debt-free at last.
American English
- The debt-ridden economy struggled.
- She worked hard to become debt-free.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I have a small debt to pay.
- He is in debt.
- The company has a lot of debt.
- She managed to pay off her student debt.
- The national debt is a major political issue.
- They consolidated their debts into one loan.
- The crippling debt burden stifled economic growth.
- He felt a profound debt of gratitude towards his mentor.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
You can't BET if you're in DEBT. Remember the silent 'b' is like a hidden burden you owe.
Conceptual Metaphor
DEBT IS A BURDEN / WEIGHT (e.g., 'crushing debt', 'debt burden'). DEBT IS A HOLE (e.g., 'sink into debt', 'dig yourself out of debt').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of 'долг' for non-financial duty without context (use 'duty' or 'obligation').
- The silent 'b' is often misspelled as 'det' or 'dett'.
- The phrase 'in debt' is a fixed state, not directly translatable as 'в долге' in all syntactic structures.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: *'det', *'dept'.
- Wrong preposition: *'on debt' instead of 'in debt'.
- Pronunciation: attempting to pronounce the 'b' (/dɛbt/).
Practice
Quiz
Which word contains a silent letter, similar to the 'b' in 'debt'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The 'b' was inserted in the 16th century by scholars to reflect the Latin root 'debitum'. The original Middle English spelling was 'dette' from Old French.
A 'loan' is the act of lending money or the sum lent. 'Debt' is the state of owing that money or the sum owed. You take out a loan, which puts you into debt.
Yes, metaphorically. E.g., 'debt of gratitude' means you feel you owe someone thanks for their help.
Primarily yes, as it implies obligation and lack of financial freedom. However, 'good debt' is a business term for borrowing to invest in growth.
Collections
Part of a collection
Economics Terms
B2 · 50 words · Key vocabulary for economics and financial systems.