Black Friday

noun

US
: the Friday immediately following Thanksgiving Day that is considered by retailers to mark the beginning of the holiday shopping season

Note: The origin of Black Friday in this sense is not known for certain. The day was allegedly so named either in reference to traffic congestion in central cities on the day after Thanksgiving or to the supposed fact that retailers' accounts shifted from red to black with the beginning of the shopping season.

Examples of Black Friday 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.
In other words, are the towering nematodes behaving socially to help each other out, or are their towers more akin to a Black Friday sale stampede? Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 5 June 2025 But when the store is targeted in a Black Friday heist and Bill’s dead body is found dressed as Santa, on display in the showroom, the death comes with a more personal significance than usual. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 5 June 2025 One factor to bear in mind here is older-generation Garmin watches frequently go on sale during other sales periods, such as Black Friday and Amazon’s various Prime sales events. Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025 The original complaint states that Blanco bought two SeaWorld San Diego Silver Annual Passes for his wife and himself during a Black Friday sale and opted for a monthly payment plan over 12 months. Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for Black Friday

Word History

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Black Friday was in 1961

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Cite this Entry

“Black Friday.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Black%20Friday. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

Black Friday

noun
: the Friday immediately following Thanksgiving that is considered by some retailers to mark the beginning of the holiday shopping season
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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