make up for the deficit

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "make up for the deficit" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing compensating for a shortfall or loss in a particular context, such as finance, resources, or performance. Example: "The company plans to implement new strategies to make up for the deficit in sales this quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

But they do not have the expertise in Parliament to make up for the deficit.

The New York Times

If revenue comes in under the budget one year, the hospitals are allowed to increase prices the next to make up for the deficit.

The New York Times

In a debate with Mrs. Capito on Friday in Martinsburg, he insisted that she had voted to "raid" the Social Security Trust Fund to make up for the deficit caused by "massive tax cuts that benefited primarily the wealthy".

The New York Times

Although February produced an average dose of rainfall for the south of England, it wasn't enough to make up for the deficit resulting from a dry spell stretching all the way back to last summer.

The Guardian

The year got off to a sluggish start in the first quarter, but investment in the past three quarters has accelerated enough to make up for the deficit.

TechCrunch

In short the tax cuts will not increase economic growth sufficiently to make up for the deficit the government is expected to run.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

But such good work can hardly make up for the deficits in the production overall.

The New York Times

You have to be a capitalist here to make up for the deficits". One improvement she has noticed in Moscow in the last 12 years is that there are fewer drunks on the streets.

Los Angeles Times

In London the migration of young newcomers has usually more than made up for the deficit and so it is now.

The Guardian

This second part of Welsh National Opera's continuing Figaro Forever trilogy goes some way to making up for the deficit left by The Barber of Seville, but even Mozart's perfect opera gets its share of directorial contrivance.

The Guardian - Music

Research shows that people with ADHD may turn to drugs as a way of making up for the deficit of dopamine in their brains.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "make up for the deficit", ensure the context clearly defines what is lacking and how the compensation is achieved. For example, "Increased sales efforts helped to "make up for the deficit" caused by lower prices."

Common error

Avoid assuming that any action automatically "make up for the deficit". Ensure the compensating action is sufficient to actually address the shortfall. For example, avoid statements like "A small donation will "make up for the deficit" in funding for the entire project."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "make up for the deficit" functions as a verb phrase indicating an action to compensate or counteract a specific lack or shortage. Ludwig examples show it frequently used in contexts where there is a need to balance out a negative situation, such as a financial loss or a resource shortage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Science

24%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

6%

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "make up for the deficit" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to describe actions taken to compensate for a lack or shortage. As Ludwig AI explains, it frequently appears in various contexts, including news, science, and academia. The phrase is versatile and generally neutral in tone, but more formal alternatives exist, such as "compensate for the shortfall" or "offset the deficiency", which are suitable for formal or business settings. When using this phrase, it's important to ensure that the compensating action is sufficient and clearly defined. The authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian demonstrate its widespread usage in credible contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

compensate for the shortfall

Replaces "make up for" with "compensate for" and "deficit" with "shortfall", maintaining a similar level of formality.

offset the deficiency

Uses "offset" instead of "make up for", which suggests a balancing effect, and "deficiency" for "deficit", emphasizing a lack.

counterbalance the shortage

Employs "counterbalance" to indicate a neutralizing action and "shortage" as a substitute for "deficit", both implying scarcity.

remedy the inadequacy

Substitutes "remedy" for "make up for", suggesting a corrective action, and "inadequacy" for "deficit", highlighting insufficiency.

rectify the insufficiency

Replaces "make up for" with "rectify", implying a correction of something wrong, and "deficit" with "insufficiency", indicating a lack of something.

cover the gap

Uses a more informal term, "cover", instead of "make up for", and "gap" in place of "deficit", suggesting a void or space to be filled.

make good the deficiency

Employs "make good" as a more emphatic way of saying "make up for", and retains "deficiency", which is a formal synonym of "deficit".

mitigate the inadequacy

Uses "mitigate" to suggest reducing the severity of a problem, and "inadequacy" for "deficit", highlighting the insufficient nature of something.

correct the imbalance

Substitutes "correct" for "make up for", implying a restoration of balance, and "imbalance" for "deficit", suggesting a lack of equilibrium.

address the insufficiency

Replaces "make up for" with "address", focusing on dealing with the problem, and uses "insufficiency" instead of "deficit", highlighting a lack.

FAQs

How can I use "make up for the deficit" in a sentence?

You can use "make up for the deficit" when you want to express that something is compensating for a lack or shortfall. For example, "The new marketing campaign is designed to "make up for the deficit" in sales from the previous quarter."

What are some alternatives to "make up for the deficit"?

You can use alternatives like "compensate for the shortfall", "offset the deficiency", or "cover the gap depending on the context.

Is it more formal to say "make up for the deficit" or "compensate for the deficit"?

"Compensate for the deficit" is generally considered more formal than "make up for the deficit". Both are acceptable, but "compensate for the deficit" may be preferred in formal or business writing.

What is the difference between "make up for the deficit" and "address the deficit"?

"Make up for the deficit" implies compensating for a shortfall that has already occurred, while "address the deficit" suggests taking action to deal with or resolve the deficit.