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

Etymology

Origin of rainy day

First recorded in 1570–80

Example Sentences

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

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

What if your guest wants to lounge in bed on a rainy day and wonders where all those cushions went?

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

With the Galaxy S26, photos can be edited directly in the gallery app by entering a prompt, such as a command to make a rainy day look sunny.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 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

Something decorative and permanent and occasionally useful, yes, but I found it dull and quiet work, suitable for a rainy day with only the monotonous ticking of the parlor clock for company.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly