a budget surplus

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a budget surplus" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is used to refer to an excess of income over the amount spent or budgeted. For example, "The government has managed to achieve a budget surplus for the third consecutive year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

The federal government ran a budget surplus.

The New York Times

In 2000, America had a budget surplus.

The Economist

Germany is running a budget surplus.

Independent

A budget surplus is expected by 2012.

The New York Times

The state has a budget surplus now.

The New York Times

She has since reported finding a budget surplus.

The New York Times

Remarkably, it is still (just) running a budget surplus.

The Economist

The German government is running a budget surplus.

The New York Times

And shouldn't governments aim to run a budget surplus?

Independent

At present most state governments are running a budget surplus.

The Economist

The government is also maintaining a budget surplus.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about "a budget surplus", be specific about the context and the entity that achieved the surplus (e.g., "The federal government reported a budget surplus.").

Common error

Avoid attributing "a budget surplus" solely to one factor (e.g., tax cuts or increased spending). Surpluses are often the result of a combination of economic conditions and policy decisions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a budget surplus" functions as a noun phrase, typically acting as the subject or object of a sentence. Ludwig examples show its use in describing the financial state of governments or organizations. Ludwig AI analysis indicates that the phrase is correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a budget surplus" is a commonly used noun phrase that describes a financial situation where income exceeds expenditure. Ludwig's AI analysis confirms its correctness, and the examples demonstrate its frequent usage in news and formal contexts. While alternatives like ""fiscal surplus"" or ""government surplus"" exist, "a budget surplus" remains a clear and widely understood way to communicate this positive financial state. Be mindful of the multifaceted causes of surpluses and avoid oversimplification when discussing them.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fiscal surplus

Replaces "budget" with "fiscal", emphasizing government revenue and expenditure.

government surplus

Substitutes "budget" with "government", focusing on which entity accumulated the surplus.

revenue surplus

Replaces "budget" with "revenue", highlighting the excess in income.

excess of revenue over expenditure

More formal and descriptive way of expressing that income exceeds spending.

positive budget balance

Describes the surplus as a positive balance within the budget.

balanced budget with excess funds

Specifies that after balancing the budget, funds remain.

available budget funds

Highlights budget funds that are in excess.

financial headroom

Metaphorically describes the extra financial capacity due to the surplus.

excessive funds

Simply indicates having more money than required.

surplus funds

Shorthand expression, meaning funds are in excess of budget.

FAQs

How can I use "a budget surplus" in a sentence?

You can use "a budget surplus" to describe a situation where income exceeds expenses, for example, "The government used "a budget surplus" to reduce the national debt".

What are some alternative ways to describe "a budget surplus"?

Alternatives to "a budget surplus" include "fiscal surplus", "government surplus", or "revenue surplus", which all refer to a similar financial situation.

Is it correct to say "the budget is in surplus" instead of "a budget surplus"?

Yes, "the budget is in surplus" is a correct and common way to express the same idea as "a budget surplus". Both indicate that income exceeds expenses.

What's the difference between "a budget surplus" and "a budget deficit"?

"A budget surplus" means that a government or organization has more income than expenses, while "a budget deficit" means that it has more expenses than income.