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.
Bad debt losses and inventory impairment losses contributed to the red ink, the company said on April 21. Russell Flannery, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 Let’s bust out the red ink and slap some grades on this deal. Zach Harper, New York Times, 23 June 2026 Mistakes may hurt and temporarily cause your business to bleed red ink. Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026 If the property tax Amendment 3 passes, a tsunami of red ink and unavoidable state belt-tightening will come just as every county and city are also starved of revenue. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 June 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 24 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

red ink

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