rainy day

American  

noun

1. a time of need or emergency.

   saving money for a rainy day.

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rainy day British  

noun

1. a future time of need, esp financial

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Other Word Forms

• rainy-day
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of rainy day

First recorded in 1570–80

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rainy day

“Treasury is not going to utilize its entire rainy day fund to fund its buyback program. This is not exactly Draghi-esque, a do-whatever-it-takes moment. This is not Ben Bernanke’s bazooka,” Brusuelas said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026

With few exceptions, the limit applies to most appropriations of tax revenue, including when lawmakers put money away in the rainy day fund and other reserves.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026

With few exceptions, the limit applies to most appropriations of tax revenue, including money that lawmakers tuck away into the rainy day fund and other reserves.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

This argument runs that because quasilegal internal migrants lack access to the social safety net, they save too much for a rainy day.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

They were dirty, not with the spectacular dirt of boys who have fallen into mud or been brought down hard on a rainy day.

From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding

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