debtor

noun

debt·​or ˈde-tər How to pronounce debtor (audio)
1
: one guilty of neglect or violation of duty
2
: one who owes a debt

Examples of debtor in a Sentence

The debtor agrees to pay the debt over a three-year period.
Recent Examples on the Web Once an effective date is reached, the debtors (FTX) will have 60 days to make distributions to a class of creditors known as the convenience class; in case of this distribution that class includes any individual customer claims under $50,000. Sean Stein Smith, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2024 China has one advantage, according to the Bridgewater founder: Most of China’s bad debt is denominated in yuan, with debtors and creditors often both being Chinese citizens. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Asia, 2 Oct. 2024 The problem arises when there is a distribution from the ERISA plan to the debtor. Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 7 Oct. 2024 Federal law prohibits chasing debtors who have filed for bankruptcy, and Coughlin sued the tribe in a dispute that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Megan O’Matz, ProPublica, 26 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for debtor 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'debtor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of debtor was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near debtor

Cite this Entry

“Debtor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debtor. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

debtor

noun
debt·​or ˈdet-ər How to pronounce debtor (audio)
1
: sinner
2
: one that owes a debt

Legal Definition

debtor

noun
debt·​or
: a person who owes a debt see also bankrupt compare creditor, obligee, obligor

Note: The Bankruptcy Act of 1978 calls the person concerned in a bankruptcy case the “debtor” as opposed to the “bankrupt.”

More from Merriam-Webster on debtor

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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