: 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
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
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
20 June 2026
The gross margin decline included inventory write-downs relating to the transition of James Allen, which has become a proprietary brand within the Blue Nile website.
—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
2 June 2026
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2026
Name the terms, write down the agreement, and ask what still feels unclear.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for write-down
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Noun
Many more schools are being forced into similar write-downs as enrollment plummets.
—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
20 June 2026
The gross margin decline included inventory write-downs relating to the transition of James Allen, which has become a proprietary brand within the Blue Nile website.
—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
2 June 2026
Verb
Investment Conviction Must Change With The Evidence One of the most useful habits an investor can develop is writing down what would disprove the thesis before entering the position.
—
Jim Osman,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2026
Name the terms, write down the agreement, and ask what still feels unclear.
—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for write-down
Cite this Entry
“Write-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/write-down. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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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