in the black

/ɪnðə blˈak/

/ɪnðə blˈæk/

[phrase]

in the black

[PHRASE]

used to refer to something, particularly a bank account, that is providing one with a considerable amount of profit

antonyms : in the red

What is the origin of the idiom "in the black" and when to use it?

The idiom "in the black" originated in the world of finance and accounting, where it is used to describe a business or organization that is profitable and has positive net income. The idiom is commonly used to describe a range of scenarios, such as when a company's profits exceed its expenses, when an individual's savings exceed their debts, or when a non-profit organization has enough funds to cover its expenses and operations.

Examples

1. It helped steady a teetering financial system and ended in the black, posting a profit again of 15 billion dollars.

2. In fact, as an industry, supermarkets have one of the lowest profit margins in the U.S., so they rely on these mind-games just to stay in the black.

3. Sebastian said he is seeing those types of services reflected in the black markets, something he calls meta manipulation.

4. And most of us in the Black community have seen this picture before.

Nearby words