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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.
Tyson expects to lose more than $600 million on beef production this year after already reporting $720 million of red ink in beef over the past two years. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 Nov. 2025 Should rebates be ordered, that would add to debt and deficit pressures at a time when the White House has been championing a modest decline in red ink during 2025. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025 But the red ink flowed along with the Birch Beer. Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025 The good news is that the amount of red ink shrunk by about $8 billion from fiscal 2024. Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Oct. 2025 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 27 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

red ink

noun
1
: a business loss
2
: the condition of showing a business loss
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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