redline

1 of 2

noun

red·​line ˈred-ˈlīn 

: 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  -ˈlīn 

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

Noun

But anywhere nearer the 8,250-rpm redline reveals more of the manic Maranello magic, where the trill mechanical song of the V12 balances out against a screaming exhaust note. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026

Today’s free-breathing engine will soon be a thing of the past, but likely so too is its 9,000-rpm redline. —Joel Feder, The Drive, 22 Jan. 2026

Verb

Focus on claim denials and regulate algorithmic pricing systems that redline and penalize Black and Brown communities. —Phara Souffrant Forrest, New York Daily News, 4 Feb. 2026

Can Djokovic, at 38, recreate not just the physical intensity of his performance, but also the precise execution of a perfect but redlining strategy? —Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1952, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1968, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for redline

• affine
• airline
• align
• aline
• assign
• baseline
• beamline
• benign
• bloodline
• bovine
• byline
• canine