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 Written on the two-piano score in red ink are Holst’s instructions for orchestration; elsewhere, there are large sections crossed out, and notes in margins about whose handwriting is whose, and where that changes. Hugh Morris, New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024 In addition to two fatal crashes that cost 346 lives, the company has run up more than $31 billion in losses since 2019, with no end to the red ink in sight. Chris Isidore, CNN, 27 Mar. 2024 The army was charged with securing the election outside the capital, and voters had their fingers stained with red ink to ensure no one votes more than once. Jessica Donati, Babacar Dione, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Mar. 2024 Congress, in its deliberations over the coming weeks, needs to confront the reality of chronic trillion-dollar deficits and the economic/social ripple effects of the extraordinary interventions all that red ink enables. Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 Most of that red ink appeared in the fourth quarter, when Rocket saw a $233 million net loss on $694 million in revenue. Detroit Free Press, 22 Feb. 2024 Yet other states have recognized that this new handout will see spiraling enrollment and mounting red ink. Tarren Bragdon, National Review, 23 Jan. 2024 Netflix has powered to the dominant global subscription streaming service, having turned the corner into healthy profitability after years of bleeding red ink. Todd Spangler, Variety, 24 Jan. 2024 Some experts argue the tide of red ink poses a threat to the nation’s overall fiscal health, while others maintain the federal government has plenty of capacity to borrow without risking an economic crisis. Jeff Stein, Washington Post, 2 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'red ink.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near red ink

Cite this Entry

“Red ink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20ink. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

red ink

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