in the red

idiom

: spending and owing more money than is being earned
Apparently the company had been in the red for some time before it went out of business.

Examples of in the red 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.
These West Elm designs have a textural element of surprise and the deep shade of maroon is still in the red family but not too in your face. Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2025 Clients and partners need the dynamic, authoritative showman in the red shirt. Jason Barnard, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025 Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian has come under fire for the team's lackluster offense, which is unable to sustain drives and finish in the red zone. Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025 The Patriots got out to a hot start running the ball but sputtered out in the red zone on their ensuing drive. Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for in the red

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“In the red.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20red. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!