in the red

Idioms  

1. In debt, as in Joshua can't keep track of funds, so half the time his company is in the red. This expression alludes to the bookkeeping practice of marking debits in red ink and credits in black. It survives even in the age of computerized accounts. So does the antonym, in the black, for being financially solvent or out of debt, as in Bill was happy to say they were in the black. [Early 1900s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

in the red

Rising bond yields dampened stock indexes, which were mostly in the red.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Cross-financed by Germany's wealthier states, Berlin is deep in the red, with 2.2 billion euros in debt calculated in late 2024, which forced painful spending cuts in multiple areas.

From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026

“The fourth-down stop in the red zone, that’s something that we have spent a lot of time talking about,” Riley said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026

Tottenham are next at 189.15m euros in the red, followed by Arsenal at 180.95m euros with several days until the transfer window closes on 1 September.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

She squinted at me in the red gloom.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline