trade deficit
noun [ C, usually singular ]
ECONOMICS, COMMERCE, FINANCE ukus(also trade gap)a situation in which the value of goods that a country imports is more than the value of goods it exports, or the size of this difference:
trade deficit in sth America's trade deficit in goods and services increased.
have/run/post a trade deficit Brazil has run a $14 billion trade deficit with the US.
reduce/shrink/cut the trade deficit These export subsidies certainly don't reduce the trade deficit.
an annual/monthly trade deficit
a ballooning/huge/record trade deficit
a goods/merchandise trade deficit
Compare
trade surplus