debt owed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "debt owed" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to an obligation to pay back money or a financial liability. For example, "The company has a significant debt owed to its creditors." Alternative expressions include "amount due" and "liability incurred."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But to whom is this debt owed?

The New York Times

Illegitimate debt owed to financial institutions should not be paid.

The Guardian - Opinion

(b DHS debt means a debt owed to DHS by a person.

Cornell University

Slade himself recovered sixteen pounds damages, which iust happened to be equal to the debt owed.

Harvard University

Or at least, debt owed to investors is not its real problem.

The New York Times

Downing Street cited £20m as the value of uncollected debt owed by foreigners.

The Guardian

Debt owed to American households, businesses and banks is not a direct burden on the future.

The New York Times

Roughly half of outstanding debt owed to the public, now $11.7 trillion, is owned by foreigners.

The New York Times

And yet any GM debt owed to non-Americans is reckoned to be American indebtedness.

The Economist

Treasury bonds owned by Americans are different from debt owed to foreigners.

The New York Times

Britain has supported Paris Club relief (ie, of debt owed to governments) of up to 90%.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "debt owed", be specific about who owes the debt and to whom it is owed. For example, "The debt owed by the company to its suppliers is significant."

Common error

Avoid confusing "debt owed" (something you owe to someone else) with "debt owned" (which is less common and usually means debt securities you possess). Use "debt owed" when you are the one who has to pay.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "debt owed" functions as a noun phrase that typically acts as a subject complement or object within a sentence. As confirmed by Ludwig, its uses are observed across numerous examples, primarily to define liabilities or financial responsibilities.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Science

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "debt owed" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase for indicating financial liabilities. Ludwig AI's analysis highlights its prevalence in contexts like News & Media and Academia. To ensure clarity, always specify the parties involved in the transaction. Although it's closely related to “debt owned”, these phrases have distinct meanings and should not be used interchangeably. The related phrases can be used as alternatives when appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

outstanding debt

Focuses on the debt that remains to be paid.

unpaid balance

Emphasizes the portion of a debt that has not yet been paid.

due amount

Highlights the sum that is required to be paid.

financial liability

A more formal term indicating a financial obligation.

outstanding obligation

Broader term that can refer to both financial and non-financial duties.

payable debt

Indicates a debt that is currently required to be paid.

accrued debt

Highlights debt that has accumulated over time.

debt payable

Similar to payable debt, but with a slightly different word order.

monetary obligation

A more formal term indicating a money-related duty.

deficit incurred

Focuses on the shortfall that resulted in the debt.

FAQs

How can I use "debt owed" in a sentence?

You can use "debt owed" to describe a financial obligation. For example: "The company disclosed the amount of "debt owed" in its financial statements."

What's a good alternative to "debt owed"?

Alternatives include "outstanding debt", "unpaid balance", or "due amount", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "debts owed"?

Yes, "debts owed" is the plural form and is perfectly acceptable when referring to multiple financial obligations.

How does "debt owed" differ from "debt owned"?

"Debt owed" refers to liabilities or obligations to others, while "debt owned" (though less common) could imply possessing debt instruments as assets. Use ""debt owed"" when you are the one who owes money.