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freezing rain

American  

noun

  1. rain that falls as a liquid but freezes into glaze upon contact with the ground.


Etymology

Origin of freezing rain

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The storm hobbled several of American’s major hubs, including Dallas, which was pummeled early on by ice and freezing rain.

From MarketWatch Jan. 28, 2026

Meteorologists said to expect heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 25, 2026

A massive winter storm was set to drop a mix of freezing rain and heavy snow on some 160 million Americans starting Friday, threatening to bring dangerously icy conditions.

From Barron's Jan. 23, 2026

States further south may experience freezing rain, which could coat trees with ice and weigh them down, possibly leading to power outages.

From BBC Jan. 21, 2026

And sure, on some bitter cold mornings, especially in the late winter, when there was freezing rain instead of snow, I would dream about climbing into my bed and spending hours there.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy

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