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.
Beattie amended her analysis sheet to record this, unusually for her, in red ink. Dorothy Armstrong june 18, Literary Hub, 18 June 2025 The red ink also persists at Zero Motors, perhaps the most recognizable electric motorcycle maker. William Roberson, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025 And soon a huge 2025 budget bill will add trillions of dollars more to deficits in the same way, aided by a law that was supposed to limit the flow of red ink. Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025 Market opens down, red ink everywhere, and then, what? Jim Cramer, CNBC, 21 May 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 15 Jul. 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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