sovereign debt

Meanings

nounsovereign debt (countable and uncountable, plural sovereign debts)

countableuncountableeconomicsThe amount of money outstanding that was borrowed by a government in order to finance expenditure not covered by taxation.
In a note last month to his array of international fund manager clients, Gerard Minack, Morgan Stanley’s former Global Strategist, warned that many developed economies are heading for sovereign debt crises.
2026 January 24, Michael Pascoe, “America’s mighty economic power has feet of clay”, in Michael West Media
Synonyms: government debt, national debt, public debt

nounThe amount of money outstanding that was borrowed by a government in order to finance expenditure not covered by taxation.

Also see

Cite this entry

APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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