foreign debt
noun
: the amount of money that a country owes other countries
the nation's growing foreign debt
Examples of foreign debt in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Laos has become almost entirely reliant on Chinese funds for the building of hydroelectric dams along the Mekong River within its borders; infrastructure loans from China now account for half of the foreign debt that the landlocked country has incurred.
—
Yuen Foong Khong, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
At the same time, governments across the continent are coping with a foreign debt load that exceeds $1.1 trillion.
—Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
The 30-plus other AGOA nations, many laden with heavy foreign debt, are in a similar tailspin, though some more than others.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 8 May 2025
The increased payroll taxes are one element of President William Ruto’s desperate bid to raise revenue to keep the government running and pay off Kenya’s staggering foreign debt.
—Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for foreign debt
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Yuen Foong Khong, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
At the same time, governments across the continent are coping with a foreign debt load that exceeds $1.1 trillion.
—Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
The 30-plus other AGOA nations, many laden with heavy foreign debt, are in a similar tailspin, though some more than others.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 8 May 2025
The increased payroll taxes are one element of President William Ruto’s desperate bid to raise revenue to keep the government running and pay off Kenya’s staggering foreign debt.
—Patricia Cohen, New York Times, 4 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for foreign debt
Cite this Entry
“Foreign debt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreign%20debt. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share