What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
borrower
Example
John is a responsible borrower and always pays back his loans on time. [borrower: noun]
Example
She borrowed some money from her friend to buy a new laptop. [borrowed: past tense verb]
debtor
Example
The company sent a reminder to all debtors to pay their outstanding bills. [debtors: plural noun]
Example
He became a debtor after taking out a loan to start his business. [debtor: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Borrower is more commonly used than debtor in everyday language, especially when talking about loans or credit. Debtor is more commonly used in legal or financial contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between borrower and debtor?
Both borrower and debtor can be used in formal and informal contexts. However, debtor is more commonly associated with legal or financial discussions, making it slightly more formal than borrower.
