Black Friday

noun

US
: the Friday immediately following Thanksgiving Day that is considered by retailers to mark the beginning of the holiday shopping season

Note: The origin of Black Friday in this sense is not known for certain. The day was allegedly so named either in reference to traffic congestion in central cities on the day after Thanksgiving or to the supposed fact that retailers' accounts shifted from red to black with the beginning of the shopping season.

Examples of Black Friday in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For indoor pizza models, look for deals offered year-round to time your purchase, especially around Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Laura Denby, Peoplemag, 31 May 2024 During key selling periods like Father’s Day and Black Friday, Ampla would increase his company’s credit line, enabling Mr. Perkins to stock more shirts. Jordyn Holman, New York Times, 24 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for Black Friday 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Black Friday.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Black Friday was in 1961

Dictionary Entries Near Black Friday

Cite this Entry

“Black Friday.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Black%20Friday. Accessed 6 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

Black Friday

noun
: the Friday immediately following Thanksgiving that is considered by some retailers to mark the beginning of the holiday shopping season
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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