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
The Cougars are formidable in both areas, ranking third in the conference in third-down defense and first in the red zone.
—
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Nov. 2025
Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota drove down the field to get Washington in the red zone.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Only real estate, utilities, and consumer staples were in the red.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025
His absence could be a major issue in the red zone, where his team struggled in last week's loss to Carolina.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in the red
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.
Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Nov. 2025
Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota drove down the field to get Washington in the red zone.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 10 Nov. 2025
Only real estate, utilities, and consumer staples were in the red.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 10 Nov. 2025
His absence could be a major issue in the red zone, where his team struggled in last week's loss to Carolina.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in the red
Cite this Entry
“In the red.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20red. Accessed 26 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share