budget deficit

This page is about the collocation budget deficit

collocation pattern: noun + noun

Meaning

a negative balance between revenues and spending

For example

  • Is reducing the budget deficit really more important than building schools and hospitals?

  • Borrowing money to invest in a country's future is often labelled a "budget deficit" instead of an investment.

Note:
A related collocation with the opposite meaning is "budget surplus"

Quick Quiz

The government's budget deficit can be reduced by

a. raising tax rates for the rich

b. lowering tax rates for the rich

c. helping the rich to avoid taxes
a) raising tax rates for the rich b) lowering tax rates for the rich c) helping the rich to avoid taxes

Contributor: Matt Errey