red ink
Americannoun
-
a financial deficit; business loss.
-
the condition of showing a business loss.
Etymology
Origin of red ink
An Americanism dating back to 1925–30
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For example, the word "red" might appear in red ink.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 10, 2026
Yet even Amik needed 30 years to chew his way out of the billion dollars in red ink that the Montreal Olympics cost.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2026
Bleeding red ink and having been slow to transition to EVs and hybrids, Nissan embarked in late 2024 on a painful restructuring effort to close factories and cut 20,000 jobs by 2028.
From Barron's ● May 13, 2026
The red ink is mounting for companies in the business of slaughtering cattle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 2026
Mr. Larson saw his name there, circled in red ink.
From "The Landry News" by Andrew Clements
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
