From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtrade deficitˈtrade ˌdeficit (also trade gap) noun [countable] PEthe amount by which the value of what a country buys from abroad is more than the value of what it sells
Examples from the Corpus
trade deficit• I see a growing trade deficit and a reliance on overseas sources of innovation.• Despite the increase in exports, the overall trade deficit rose S$4,900 million to S$14,600 million in 1990.• The resulting trade deficit and shortage of incoming foreign exchange added to the country's balance-of-payments problem.• A recent investment boom should help firms to compete internationally, though in the short term it has worsened the trade deficit.From Longman Business Dictionarytrade deficitˈtrade ˌdeficitECONOMICSCOMMERCE the amount by which the money going out of a country to pay for imports is more than the amount coming in from exportsAccording to US trade statistics, the US has been running a trade deficit with Central America. → deficit 