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.

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Cite this Entry

“In the red.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20red. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.

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