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
During events like Prime Day and Black Friday, WIRED will only recommend deals on products that someone on our team—there are 15 of us spread across the country and one person in the UK—has personally tested and vouched for.
—
Simon Hill, Wired News, 12 July 2025
The last time Amazon hosted a major retailer-specific sales event was in mid-October for Amazon Prime Big Deal Days (otherwise known as October Prime Day), and both events are known for offering promotions that rival the deals during Black Friday and Cyber Monday in November.
—Rachel Fletcher, Architectural Digest, 11 July 2025
The Dyson summer sale has basically brought Black Friday to July.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 11 July 2025
Outside of Black Friday, this is the best chance to grab major deals on everything from Coach bags and Ugg boots to Apple AirPods and the Dyson Airwrap.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for Black Friday
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.
Simon Hill, Wired News, 12 July 2025
The last time Amazon hosted a major retailer-specific sales event was in mid-October for Amazon Prime Big Deal Days (otherwise known as October Prime Day), and both events are known for offering promotions that rival the deals during Black Friday and Cyber Monday in November.
—Rachel Fletcher, Architectural Digest, 11 July 2025
The Dyson summer sale has basically brought Black Friday to July.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 11 July 2025
Outside of Black Friday, this is the best chance to grab major deals on everything from Coach bags and Ugg boots to Apple AirPods and the Dyson Airwrap.
—Malia Griggs, Glamour, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for Black Friday
Cite this Entry
“Black Friday.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Black%20Friday. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share