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
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.
Within 48 hours leading into Black Friday, the style sold 11,000 pairs. Jamie Gutfreund, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025 Stay in the loop of upcoming sales: Besides the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale that happens every summer, the retailer also hosts regular Nordstrom beauty events tied to shopping holidays like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and more. Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2025 Amazon burst onto the NFL scene in 2021, signing a multi-billion-dollar media rights deal with the league to broadcast Thursday Night Football, Black Friday and other select games through the 2033 season. Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill, 7 Sep. 2025 This season's schedule includes six holiday games, a Black Friday game and a few games on Saturday toward the end of the season. Ramon Padilla, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Black Friday

Word History

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Black Friday.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Black%20Friday. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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