: 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
Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2026
Berkshire took a $3.76-billion write-down on its Kraft-Heinz stake last summer.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 8 Feb. 2026
Travel, in particular, will benefit from open conversations about the facts of your schedule — and be sure to write down important information.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for write-down
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Noun
Then came write-downs of many of its iconic brands, like Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Maxwell House and Velveeta, in addition to a subpoena from the Securities and Exchange Commission related to its accounting policies and internal controls.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2026
Berkshire took a $3.76-billion write-down on its Kraft-Heinz stake last summer.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
Committing to a few simple daily swaps, such as writing down grocery lists or flipping through a newspaper, can encourage you to put down your phone and be more present.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 8 Feb. 2026
Travel, in particular, will benefit from open conversations about the facts of your schedule — and be sure to write down important information.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 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 14 Feb. 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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