: a deliberate reduction in the book value of an asset (as to reflect the effect of obsolescence)
wrote down; written down; writing down; writes down
1
: to record in written form
2
a
: to depreciate, disparage, or injure by writing
b
: to reduce in status, rank, or value
especially
: to reduce the book value of
: to write so as to appeal to a lower level of taste, comprehension, or intelligence
Synonyms
Examples of write-down in a Sentence
Verb
a company forced to write down its assets
write down what you remember about that day
Recent Examples on the Web
Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2025
In August, the company’s shares hit all-time lows after the media conglomerate — heavily reliant on its pay-TV business — announced a whopping $9.1 billion write-down reflecting the loss of value of its linear television networks.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 30 Dec. 2024
Jim Vandehei, Axios, 9 Jan. 2025
My hand hurt from writing down every death, every instrument of killing: a knife, a .45 Colt, a rope, a heave into the sea.
—Jes Aznar, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for write-down 
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Noun
In late 2023, for example, Orsted took a $4 billion write-down and canceled two offshore wind projects off the coast of New Jersey.
—Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 8 Jan. 2025
In August, the company’s shares hit all-time lows after the media conglomerate — heavily reliant on its pay-TV business — announced a whopping $9.1 billion write-down reflecting the loss of value of its linear television networks.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
This simple act of writing down your thoughts, which is often easier for the emotionally reticent, is an easy way to do it.
—Jim Vandehei, Axios, 9 Jan. 2025
My hand hurt from writing down every death, every instrument of killing: a knife, a .45 Colt, a rope, a heave into the sea.
—Jes Aznar, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for write-down
Dictionary Entries Near write-down
Cite this Entry
“Write-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/write-down. Accessed 16 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
write down
transitive verb
wrote down; written down; writing down
: to reduce the book value of (an asset)
write down accounts receivable
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