owing

American  

[oh-ing] / ˈoʊ ɪŋ /

adjective

1. owed, unpaid, or due for payment.

   to pay what is owing.

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idioms

1. owing to, because of; as a result of.

   Owing to a mistake in the payroll department, some of us were issued incorrect checks.

owing British  

/ ˈəʊɪŋ /

adjective

1. (postpositive) owed; due

2. (preposition) because of or on account of

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unowing
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of owing

Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at owe, -ing ²

Example Sentences

Cash patient revenue growth is likely to be slow this year, especially from Thai patients, owing to hospital renovations and intensifying competition, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026

The moderation in growth from this year’s projected 2% is owing to a slowdown in real income growth and consumer spending.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026

Faye was in the unusual situation of owing his position, in large part, to his prime minister's popularity.

From BBC • May 23, 2026

Smith said he packed, so it wasn’t “too dreadful,” but the Air Force veteran did liken the evacuation to a deployment, owing primarily to the uncertainty of how long the evacuation might last.

From Los Angeles Times • May 23, 2026

When that time came, I could walk away from the agency not owing anybody.

From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler