debt trap diplomacy

noun

A nation's use of predatory loans in order to gain leverage in relations with the recipient country or to seize assets within the indebted country.

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Meanings

noundebt trap diplomacy (plural debt trap diplomacies)

plural debt trap diplomacies

  1. A nation's use of predatory loans in order to gain leverage in relations with the recipient country or to seize assets within the indebted country.

Origin

From debt trap + diplomacy.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

German Schuldenfallen-Diplomatie
  • Schuldenfallen-Diplomatiea nation's use of predatory loans
Spanish diplomacia de trampa endeudante
  • diplomacia de trampa endeudantea nation's use of predatory loans
Vietnamese ngoại giao bẫy nợ
  • ngoại giao bẫy nợa nation's use of predatory loans
Cite this entry
APA

debt trap diplomacy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/debt%20trap%20diplomacy

MLA

“debt trap diplomacy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/debt%20trap%20diplomacy. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “debt trap diplomacy,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/debt%20trap%20diplomacy.

Source: debt trap diplomacy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.