red ink

noun

1
: a business loss : deficit
2
: the condition of showing a business loss

Examples of red ink 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.
Instead of looking to broadly reduce compensation costs as a central part of efforts to cover red ink, Mayor Gloria, City Council President Joe LaCava and increasingly radical Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera led the push to squeeze constituents. U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Apr. 2026 On that single basis, his campaign exemplified a strategy almost completely devoid of any serious debate about California’s numerous issues, such as homelessness, poverty, water supply, a sluggish economy and a state budget awash in red ink. Dan Walters, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026 Every editing session ended in lots of red ink and tears. Ashley Parker, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2026 It may be printed out and boxed in a closet, marked with notes and red ink, held together by binder clips and regret. Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for red ink

Word History

Etymology

from the use of red ink in financial statements to indicate a loss

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of red ink was in 1926

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Red ink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20ink. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

red ink

noun
1
: a business loss
2
: the condition of showing a business loss
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