1
: an elimination of an item from the books of account
2
a
: a reduction in book value of an item (as by way of depreciation)
b
: a tax deduction of an amount of depreciation, expense, or loss
3
chiefly British
: something (such as a damaged vehicle) or someone regarded or conceded as a loss
wrote off; written off; writing off; writes off
1
: to eliminate (an asset) from the books : enter as a loss or expense
write off a bad loan
2
: to regard or concede to be lost
most were content to write off 1979 and look optimistically ahead—
Money
MoneyExamples of write-off in a Sentence
Verb
most critics have already written off that director as a hack incapable of turning out anything but schlock
that one blunder will write off to nothing all the goodwill we've been building up
Recent Examples on the Web
Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 25 Oct. 2025
Yet another provision similarly provides small businesses the opportunity to write-off domestic research and development, which further promotes advancement.
—Elaine Parker, Oc Register, 29 Sep. 2025
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Most of the media, though not all, wrote off the lab-leak theory, for instance.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for write-off
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Noun
Healthy School Meals for All is funded by limiting write-offs that Coloradans making more than $300,000 per year can claim.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 25 Oct. 2025
Yet another provision similarly provides small businesses the opportunity to write-off domestic research and development, which further promotes advancement.
—Elaine Parker, Oc Register, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
The team says the process could one day help restore farmland, wetlands, and industrial zones that have long been written off as too contaminated to recover.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Most of the media, though not all, wrote off the lab-leak theory, for instance.
—David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for write-off
Cite this Entry
“Write-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/write-off. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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