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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.

A massive winter storm continues to hit large parts of the country, dumping snow, sleet and freezing rain and leaving hundreds of thousands without power in the South.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 31, 2026

“In addition, widespread freezing rain and sleet are expected across the Southern Plains, the Lower Mississippi Valley, the Tennessee Valley, and the Southeast.”

From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026

The storm is expected to bring widespread heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain to parts of the South on Friday and then spread eastward over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 22, 2026

The storm is also expected to bring freezing rain and snow to parts of the upper Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

Sleet and freezing rain slapped the sidewalk, making slick spots.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows