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bond

bond

428 4.4
A certificate promising to repay borrowed money with interest
  • noun
  • /bɑnd/
  • Specialized
: bono
  • To finance the new project, the city issued a bond that will be repaid with tax revenue.
  • issue bonds
  • government bonds
  • buy bonds

And when bond yields fall by that much, that means bonds are rallying.

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Examples

  • As in Japan, the majority of government and corporate bonds are held to maturity by domestic investors.

    Academic text (2012)
  • When the bond issue passes Tuesday, there'll be $8 million to build an aqueduct and a reservoir.

  • That is a savings bond.

  • Are the bonds worth that price, do you think?

  • What does it mean when a bond yield rises?

  • Thank God for government bonds.

  • Once news of the fraud reached London, the bond prices collapsed entirely.

  • Her father had some stocks and bonds, and her mother had a few too.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • In October, Walmart sold $5 billion in debt in its biggest bond offering in more than a decade.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Since the banks were heavily invested in government bonds, the declining value of those bonds hurt the banks.

    Academic text (2012)

Synonyms

Treasury
vsbond
  • Specialized
57 6.9

A United States government bond sold to investors that pays interest and returns the money later

fits that general promise type but is not limited to national issues
junk bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
25 7.0

A risky loan to a company that pays high interest but may not pay it back

is the common repay promise typically seen as safer than high risk issues
government bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
15 2.7

A loan to a government that pays interest over time and is usually safe

is the same loan form but can be issued by governments or firms
Treasury bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
11 4.9

A long loan to the U.S. government for ten years or more that pays interest

covers similar loans but across different maturities and issuers
bearer bond
vsbond
  • Archaic
11 9.0

A bond not registered to an owner that pays interest to the person who holds the physical certificate

is the same financial claim but usually registered to a named owner
municipal bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
8 4.4

A loan a city or state sells to pay for public projects, often free from federal taxes

is the general repay promise that may be issued by various authorities
savings bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
8 3.1

A government certificate you buy to save money and earn interest that you cannot sell

is the broad repay promise that can be traded or issued commercially
corporate bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
5 3.7

A loan from a company that pays regular interest but gives no ownership

is the general repay promise that can be issued by companies or governments
Treasury note
vsbond
  • Specialized
3 6.5

A loan to the government that pays interest and is repaid in one to ten years

is the broader loan type not limited by that specific maturity range
government security
vsbond
  • Specialized
3 4.0

A bond or note that a government sells to borrow money

is the basic issued promise to repay money with interest
high-yield bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
3 6.3

A loan to a company that pays high interest because it has high risk

is the standard repay promise that usually carries lower credit risk
debenture
vsbond
  • Specialized
2 9.8

A document saying a company will pay back money with interest, usually not secured by property

is the basic repay promise and may be secured or unsecured
debt instrument
vsbond
  • Specialized
2 6.1

A document or digital record, like a bond, that shows someone owes money and when they must pay it back

is one common type of that formal debt record, with interest payments
revenue bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
2 5.3

A way to raise money for a public project paid back from the money the project earns

is the broader repay promise not tied to specific project revenues
coupon bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
1 7.9

A bond where you give paper coupons to get interest payments

is the same debt promise but can instead pay interest electronically
consol
vsbond
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A loan to the British government that pays regular interest and has no set end date

is the usual repay promise that normally specifies a definite repayment date
convertible bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
1 7.6

A loan that pays interest and can be changed into company shares under certain conditions

is the plain repay promise without an option to convert into ownership
zero coupon bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
1 7.9

An investment sold for less than its full value that pays no interest until it ends

is the general repay promise that normally pays periodic interest
secured bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
1 5.4

A bond backed by things like buildings or equipment that the lender can take if the company does not pay

is the standard repay promise that may or may not have asset backing
Premium Bond
vsbond
  • UK
1 6.8

A government savings plan that pays no interest but gives a chance to win money in monthly draws

is the regular interest-paying loan promise rather than a prize-based savings option
registered bond
vsbond
  • Formal
1 7.0

A document from a company or government that lists the owner's name and needs their signature to transfer

is the general repay promise not tied to a specific registration system
utility bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
1 6.1

Money a government or city borrows to pay for public services like water and electricity

is the general repay promise that may fund many different public needs
Treasury obligations
vsbond
  • Specialized
1 6.4

Debt the United States government borrows by selling bonds that it pays back with interest

is the general repay promise, not only negotiable treasury instruments
bond certificate
vsbond
  • Specialized
1 4.9

An official paper that shows a loan to a government or company, with amount, interest, and payback date

is the general financial promise rather than only the physical document
noncallable bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
1 8.2

A bond that the company or government that sold it cannot repay before the end date

is the general repay promise that issuers may sometimes redeem early
municipal note
vsbond
  • Specialized
8.2

A short-term loan a local government sells to raise money

is the same repay promise idea but usually with longer maturity
letter bond
vsbond
  • Specialized
9.9

A loan not registered with the government and sold only to certain buyers

is the standard public repay promise available for general investors

Compounds

junk bond
  • Specialized
25 7.0

A risky loan to a company that pays high interest but may not pay it back

government bond
  • Specialized
15 2.7

A loan to a government that pays interest over time and is usually safe

13 3.4

A deep, lasting connection between people or animals

bond issue
  • Specialized
11 5.4

A sale of loans by a company or government to many investors

Treasury bond
  • Specialized
11 4.9

A long loan to the U.S. government for ten years or more that pays interest

bearer bond
  • Archaic
11 9.0

A bond not registered to an owner that pays interest to the person who holds the physical certificate

municipal bond
  • Specialized
8 4.4

A loan a city or state sells to pay for public projects, often free from federal taxes

savings bond
  • Specialized
8 3.1

A government certificate you buy to save money and earn interest that you cannot sell

bail bond
  • Formal
8 6.6

A written promise to pay money if a person accused of a crime does not go to court

corporate bond
  • Specialized
5 3.7

A loan from a company that pays regular interest but gives no ownership

bond rating
  • Specialized
5 5.4

A grade showing how likely a company or government will pay back borrowed money

high-yield bond
  • Specialized
3 6.3

A loan to a company that pays high interest because it has high risk

A strong lasting relationship where people trust each other

hydrogen bond
  • Specialized
2 4.1

A weak pull between a hydrogen atom in one molecule and oxygen or nitrogen in another

covalent bond
  • Specialized
2 3.8

A bond that forms when two atoms share electrons

chemical bond
  • Specialized
2 3.4

A force that holds atoms or ions together to form a compound

revenue bond
  • Specialized
2 5.3

A way to raise money for a public project paid back from the money the project earns

bond trading
  • Specialized
2 4.5

Buying and selling bonds on an exchange or through a broker

peptide bond
  • Specialized
1 5.5

A chemical link that joins two amino acids to form a protein chain

coupon bond
  • Specialized
1 7.9

A bond where you give paper coupons to get interest payments

A close feeling between people who are related

double bond
  • Specialized
1 4.1

A link between two atoms where they share two pairs of electrons

convertible bond
  • Specialized
1 7.6

A loan that pays interest and can be changed into company shares under certain conditions

zero coupon bond
  • Specialized
1 7.9

An investment sold for less than its full value that pays no interest until it ends

surety bond
  • Formal
1 7.7

A promise by another company to pay the client if a contract is not fulfilled

secured bond
  • Specialized
1 5.4

A bond backed by things like buildings or equipment that the lender can take if the company does not pay

performance bond
  • Specialized
1 7.2

A promise by an insurance company to pay a client if a contractor does not finish the work

ionic bond
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A strong pull between atoms when one atom gives an electron to another

bond servant
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A person forced to work without pay for someone else

1 6.8

A government savings plan that pays no interest but gives a chance to win money in monthly draws

zero-coupon bond
  • Specialized
1 7.1

A loan you buy for less than its value that pays no interest until it ends

1 7.0

A document from a company or government that lists the owner's name and needs their signature to transfer

utility bond
  • Specialized
1 6.1

Money a government or city borrows to pay for public services like water and electricity

1 3.5

High quality white paper used for writing or printing official documents

metallic bond
  • Specialized
1 6.5

Metal atoms share electrons so the metal conducts electricity, bends easily, and looks shiny

bond certificate
  • Specialized
1 4.9

An official paper that shows a loan to a government or company, with amount, interest, and payback date

utility revenue bond
  • Specialized
1 7.7

A loan to build public services like water or electricity paid back from the money those services earn

coordinate bond
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A chemical bond where one atom gives both electrons for the pair shared by two atoms

noncallable bond
  • Specialized
1 8.2

A bond that the company or government that sold it cannot repay before the end date

bond-trading activity
  • Specialized
6.8

Buying and selling bonds, usually by brokers on a market

dative bond
  • Specialized
7.7

A bond where one atom gives both electrons that the two atoms share

electrostatic bond
  • Specialized
6.7

A bond formed when one atom loses an electron and another gains it, so opposite charges attract

6.5

A force that holds positive and negative atoms after one atom gives an electron to another

letter bond
  • Specialized
9.9

A loan not registered with the government and sold only to certain buyers

9.9

A loan you pay back from an expected inheritance after someone dies

A very close connection that lets two people sense each other's thoughts or feelings without words

How Safe

Treasury bond
  • Specialized
11 4.9
government bond
  • Specialized
15 2.7
municipal bond
  • Specialized
8 4.4
bond
  • Specialized
428 4.4
corporate bond
  • Specialized
5 3.7
junk bond
  • Specialized
25 7.0

Surface Forms

bond singular
bonds plural

Etymology

Bond as a loan certificate comes from the idea of a 'binding' promise; the paper was a formal 'promise' to pay back money, which is why that promise itself is called a bond.