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

Creating a unified view ahead of Black Friday is essential for improving everything from customer experience to stock management and planning. —Catherine Erdly, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025

Why wait until Black Friday to add an arc floor lamp to your living room? —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 15 Aug. 2025

There’s no need to wait for the next Prime Day or Black Friday; shop our favorite 30 deals below before the (limited) summer surplus at Amazon runs dry. —Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2025

On Black Friday 2024, Origin generated $6 million in sales and shipped 30,000 pairs of jeans — more than the brand’s total annual sales in 2019. —Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 5 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Black Friday

• untidy
• tidy

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