: 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
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
Unlocking all 197 hp on the way up to a 13,750 rpm redline becomes a joy, rather than a workout. — Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 21 Sep. 2026 Those redlines included oil above $100, gas near $5 per gallon and 10-year Treasury yields above 5%. — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
One task asked an agent to redline a statement of work using a 160-file data room, 21 emails across nine threads, and four meeting notes. — Wen Shao, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026 Historical discriminatory practices like redlining have inhibited homeownership for Black and Latino families across the nation dating back to the 1930s. — Stephanie A. Dhuman, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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