write-off

1 of 2

noun

1
: an elimination of an item from the books of account
2
a
: a reduction in book value of an item (as by way of depreciation)
b
: a tax deduction of an amount of depreciation, expense, or loss
3
chiefly British : something (such as a damaged vehicle) or someone regarded or conceded as a loss

write off

2 of 2

verb

wrote off; written off; writing off; writes off

transitive verb

1
: to eliminate (an asset) from the books : enter as a loss or expense
write off a bad loan
2
: to regard or concede to be lost
most were content to write off 1979 and look optimistically aheadMoney
also : dismiss
was written off as an expatriate highbrow Brendan Gill

Examples of write-off in a Sentence

Verb most critics have already written off that director as a hack incapable of turning out anything but schlock that one blunder will write off to nothing all the goodwill we've been building up
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.
Noun
But the van was still a write-off, and one passenger lost his legs. David Axe, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024 The charitable deduction Individuals who itemize deductions on their tax returns – that is, their itemized deductions exceed the standard deduction of $14,600 for single filers or $29,200 for those married and filing jointly in 2024 – are eligible to take a write-off of their charitable donations. Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 3 Dec. 2024
Verb
But if the experience is subpar—if users encounter slowdowns, technical glitches or privacy issues—the public could quickly write off the technology entirely. Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024 India were largely written off ahead of the series, after that unprecedented home whitewash against New Zealand, and were shorthanded without a slew of veterans including captain Rohit Sharma. Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for write-off 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of write-off was in 1678

Dictionary Entries Near write-off

Cite this Entry

“Write-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/write-off. Accessed 16 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

write off

verb
1
: to take off the books : enter as a loss or expense
write off a bad debt
2
: to consider to be lost
the candidate has already written off some states
also : dismiss sense 3
wrote off my losing as bad luck

Legal Definition

write-off

1 of 2 noun
ˈrīt-ˌȯf
1
: the elimination of an asset or amount due from the books
2

write off

2 of 2 transitive verb
1
: to eliminate (an asset) from the books : enter as a loss or expense
write off a bad loan
2
: to use as a deduction in calculating taxable income
write off the cost as a business expense

More from Merriam-Webster on write-off

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!