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Preposition before noun

Of debt or in debt?

In debt is the standard expression for owing money. Of debt is not a normal combination before the noun debt.

Quick answer

Which form is correct?

Use in debt to mean that someone owes money. The phrase of debt is not idiomatic before the noun debt, although of can appear in other structures such as burden of debt.

After medical bills, they were in debt for years.
Many students graduate in debt.
The company fell deeply in debt after the merger.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
in debt

Showing that someone owes money

In debt is a fixed expression meaning that a person, company, or country owes money.

She is heavily in debt.
The business went in debt after a difficult year.
2
deeply in debt

Showing a large amount of debt

Adverbs such as deeply or heavily are common before in debt.

Several households are deeply in debt.
The club remained heavily in debt despite new sponsorship.
3
debt of + amount

Giving the size or type of debt

Use of after debt when debt is the main noun in a larger phrase.

They faced a debt of $20,000.
The report described a debt of gratitude to volunteers.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
in debt
He is in debt after buying a new house.
Correct fixed expression meaning he owes money.
of debt
They carried a heavy burden of debt.
Possible only inside a larger noun phrase such as burden of debt, not as a replacement for in debt.
debt of gratitude
I owe her a debt of gratitude.
A separate idiomatic phrase meaning strong thanks or appreciation.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using of debt instead of in debt

English uses the fixed phrase in debt for owing money.

✕ She is of debt. ✓ She is in debt.

Leaving out the preposition

Debt normally needs in when describing a financial situation.

✕ The company is debt. ✓ The company is in debt.

Confusing debt with debit

Debt means money owed. Debit is a banking term.

✕ He is in debit after borrowing too much. ✓ He is in debt after borrowing too much.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. After university, many graduates are ___ debt.
2. Choose the natural phrase: a burden ___ debt.
3. The company remained heavily ___ debt.

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Frequently asked questions

Is in debt always about money?

Usually yes, although debt can also appear metaphorically, as in a debt of gratitude.

Can I say of debt by itself?

No. English does not normally use of debt alone to describe owing money.

What is the opposite of in debt?

Common opposites include debt-free or out of debt.

of, about, against, to or for racism? of, about, for, in or on friendship? of, about, for, on or to thing? of, about, for, to or with sex? of, about, on, to or for moon? "of access" or "with access"? "of accommodation" or "for accommodation"? "of accuracy" or "for accuracy"? "of action" or "in action"? "of actor", "with actor" or "by actor"? "of address" or "to address"? "of administration" or "in administration"?

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