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Synonyms

rainy day

American  

noun

  1. a time of need or emergency.

    saving money for a rainy day.


rainy day British  

noun

  1. a future time of need, esp financial

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of rainy day

First recorded in 1570–80

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.

You want to avoid inflation eating into that fund while it waits for that proverbial rainy day.

From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026

The couple now has what they call a "rainy day fund" for any future treatment for Tilly.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

It was a rainy day in May, and upon returning to the site with plastic sheets to protect freshly poured concrete, ICE had trespassed onto the development.

From Salon • Feb. 12, 2026

One rainy day 40 years ago, Moylan was headed to a meeting across Ford’s campus and hopped in a company car.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 3, 2026

It was a cold, rainy day, as dreary as you can imagine.

From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn

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