Trade deficit, which refers to the negative balance of trade, can be synonymous with several different phrases. Some possible alternatives include balance of payments deficit, commercial deficit, import excess, or import-heavy trade. Each of these phrases emphasizes a slightly different aspect of the overall trade imbalance, whether it's looking at the overall flow of goods and services, the commercial relationships between countries, or the relative levels of imports and exports. Regardless of the specific term used, trade deficits are generally seen as a negative economic indicator, as they suggest that a country is importing more goods and services than it is exporting.