red cent

noun

: penny
used for emphasis in negative constructions

Examples of red cent 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.
As part of this singularly unconventional deal, CBS pays not a red cent for the privilege of covering the tourney, and while that leaves as much as $125 million in rights fees on the table, Augusta more than makes up for that by way of the gate, merch and concessions. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 10 Apr. 2026 Meaning, thanks to Trump, Santos’ victims won’t be getting one red cent. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Twin Cities, 24 Oct. 2025 And to cities that stand by while rioters destroy transportation infrastructure — don’t expect a red cent from DOT, either. Jenny Goldsberry, The Washington Examiner, 16 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of red cent was in 1837

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Cite this Entry

“Red cent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20cent. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.

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