red ink

noun

1
: a business loss : deficit
2
: the condition of showing a business loss

Examples of red ink in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The old Mercantile-Safe Deposit and Trust Co. earned a reputation as a no-nonsense, independent, conservative bank, and for all the years, this place kept me out of red ink. Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 4 Jan. 2025 To be sure, the U.S. isn’t the only country overflowing with red ink. Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2024 And Republicans and Democrats share responsibility for the government's ocean of red ink. Scott Horsley, NPR, 20 Dec. 2024 Obviously, painful cost-cutting and staff reductions, along with multiple increases in subscription prices, played a big role in reversing the sea of red ink at Disney streaming. Josef Adalian, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for red ink 

Word History

Etymology

from the use of red ink in financial statements to indicate a loss

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of red ink was in 1926

Dictionary Entries Near red ink

Cite this Entry

“Red ink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20ink. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

red ink

noun
1
: a business loss
2
: the condition of showing a business loss
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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