in the red

idiom

: spending and owing more money than is being earned
Apparently the company had been in the red for some time before it went out of business.

Examples of in the red 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.
That leaves the government program with the highest costs and creates additional issues for a program that for years has operated in the red. Greg Allen, NPR, 16 Oct. 2025 Allen tried for a miracle on the ensuing drive, but he was picked off after a deflected pass in the red zone as the Falcons celebrated their win. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2025 The Nasdaq on Tuesday remained stubbornly in the red as tech struggled. Matthew J. Belvedere,paulina Likos, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025 Pour in the wine and sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for in the red

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“In the red.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20red. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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!