Crossword Genius

Was in debt (4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

owed

'was in debt' is the definition.
('they owed' means 'they were in debt')

This is the entire clue.

(Other definitions for owed that I've seen before include "Had an obligation to pay" , "(Sum) due for payment" , "Had a duty to pay" , "to be paid" , "Was obliged to pay" .)

I've seen this clue in the Newsday, The Telegraph, the Universal, the Sydney Morning Herald, The Star Tribune and the USA Today.
Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.