redline

1 of 2

noun

red·​line ˈred-ˈlīn How to pronounce redline (audio)
: a recommended safety limit : the fastest, farthest, or highest point or degree considered safe
also : the red line which marks this point on a gauge

redline

2 of 2

verb

red·​line ˈred-ˌlīn How to pronounce redline (audio) -ˈlīn How to pronounce redline (audio)
redlined; redlining; redlines

intransitive verb

: to withhold home-loan funds or insurance from neighborhoods considered poor economic risks

transitive verb

: to discriminate against in housing or insurance

Examples of redline 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.
Noun
Will legal teams be allowed to review contracts or redlines using generative AI, and if so, with what guardrails in place? Tom Dunlop, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 The engine redlines at 6,250 rpm, with peak HP coming at 6,000. New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
At the same time, residents have endured a tax foreclosure crisis and, decades before that, the city of Detroit was redlined, a practice by government appraisers that led to neighborhood segregation, disinvestment and stripped Black people of home ownership opportunities. Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 14 Oct. 2025 We were also expected to fight against other minorities for space and economic opportunities that white people had no interest in, redlined into the same housing markets and expected to betray each other, told that there was scarcity. Arabelle Sicardi, Allure, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for redline

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1952, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1968, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of redline was in 1952

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Redline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redline. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on redline

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!