Ink compositions comprising an aqueous medium containing: (1) at least one water-soluble dye; (2) at least one cyclic ester or amide of the formula: ##STR1## wherein m is a whole number from 3 to 5 and X represents --O-- or --N(R)-- in which R represents hydrogen, alkyl or substituted alkyl; (3) at least one hydroxy compound selected from polyhydroxy compounds having at least four hydroxy groups, optionally substituted cycloalkanols, cyclohexane dimethanol, benzyl alcohol, benzene dimethanol, ph...