in the black
Making a profit
In the black means profitable or financially solvent—having more money coming in than going out.
The phrase comes from traditional bookkeeping, where positive balances were recorded in black ink: After three difficult years, the company is finally in the black.
The opposite is in the red.
- earningsMoney gained from work
- surplusAmount exceeding requirement
- profitGain exceeding expenditure
- accountingMaintaining financial records
- net incomeProfit after all deductions
bottom line · solvency · bank · debt-free · balance · ledger · liquidity · fiscal health · break even · bookkeeping · profit margin · assets · cash · making money · budget planning · revenue streams · healthy · revenue
- business termsfranchising, revenue stream, board meeting, gross margin, markdown
- accuracyaccurate, precise, exact, correct, right
- Color Idiomsblack sheep, blue moon, green light, red flag, white lie
- money idiomsarm and a leg, break the bank, penny pincher, cheapskate, tightwad
- financialsincome, profit, earnings, net income, net profit
- trading slangbull, short, long, dip, pump
in the blackin the red
Financially in deficit
in debt · underwater · in arrears · insolvent · in the hole
in the blackbankrupt
Unable to repay debts
broke · bust · failing · going under · on the rocks
blacken, Black Friday, blackout, blackberry, blackness, blackest, blacker, blackboard, blackish