owing to rain

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "owing to rain" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is happening or not happening as a result of rain. Example: "The outdoor concert was canceled owing to rain."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Beach trials the next morning were called off owing to rain, so I took a train to Amsterdam and visited the Rijksmuseum.

The New Yorker

Occasionally in rearing systems and frequently on tidal flats A. pectinata juveniles will be exposed to low salinities < 20 ppt owing to rain and terrestrial runoff (Kurihara 2017; Kurihara personal data).

International Aquatic Research

Early in 1990, England toured the West Indies and played four Tests a fifth was abandoned owing to rain.

Wikipedia

After the third match was abandoned owing to rain, Australia won the fourth Test, held at Headingley, by five wickets to ensure the Ashes were retained.

Wikipedia

Mold came close to playing for England when he was included in the squad to play in the third Test match against Australia, but the match was abandoned owing to rain and no play took place.

Wikipedia

Owing to rain, the ceremony was moved from the grass at Grant's Tomb, perched above the Hudson River, to a cramped gymnasium at Columbia.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

The government's pledge to step up enforcement and expand cloud-seeding operations, as air pollutant levels improved owing to the rain yesterday, raises hope among millions affected by the haze.

The Guardian

June and November are the worst owing to rains.

The Guardian - Travel

Other parts of the region have suffered owing to heavy rains.

The Guardian

Hunger was once confined to conflict-ridden areas, but, owing to poor rains and pests, food insecurity has now spread to other, relatively peaceful, regions.

The Guardian

At least 100 people have died in Nepal since Thursday, and at least 84 have died in India owing to torrential rains or overflowing rivers after Nepalese dams were opened, authorities said.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "owing to rain" to clearly indicate that rain is the direct cause of a particular event or situation. It's suitable for formal writing where a clear causal relationship needs to be established.

Common error

Avoid using "owing to rain" in casual conversations or informal writing. Simpler alternatives like "because of the rain" or "due to the rain" are more appropriate for everyday language.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "owing to rain" functions as an adverbial phrase, indicating the reason or cause for a particular situation. As confirmed by Ludwig, it is correct and usable in written English, serving to explain why something is happening or not happening.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

33%

Science

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "owing to rain" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express causality, particularly when rain is the reason behind an event. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's appropriate for formal contexts, though simpler alternatives exist for casual communication. It appears most frequently in news and media, with examples showing its utility in explaining event cancellations or altered plans. While "owing to rain" is valid, consider your audience and context to determine if a more straightforward alternative is suitable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

due to rainfall

Replaces "owing to" with "due to" and "rain" with the more formal "rainfall", creating a slightly more formal tone.

caused by the rain

Offers a direct and straightforward explanation of the rain being the cause.

because of the rain

Substitutes "owing to" with the simpler and more common "because of", making the phrase more accessible.

as a result of the rain

Replaces "owing to" with "as a result of", emphasizing the consequence of the rain.

on account of the rain

Replaces "owing to" with "on account of", providing a more formal and somewhat archaic alternative.

thanks to the rain

Employs "thanks to" which, while typically used for positive outcomes, can be used sarcastically or ironically to indicate a negative result caused by the rain.

attributable to rain

Uses "attributable to" to highlight that the rain is the identified cause or factor.

brought about by rain

Indicates that the rain initiated or triggered a particular event or condition.

in consequence of rain

Presents a more formal and less common way of saying "as a result of rain".

the rain being the reason

Shifts the focus to explicitly stating the rain as the reason for something.

FAQs

How can I use "owing to rain" in a sentence?

"Owing to rain" is used to show that rain is the reason for something. For example: "The match was postponed "owing to rain"".

What can I say instead of "owing to rain"?

You can use alternatives like "due to rain", "because of the rain", or "on account of the rain" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "owing to the rain" or "owing to rain"?

Both are generally acceptable, but "owing to the rain" is more common and grammatically complete as it includes the definite article "the", specifying a particular instance of rain. "Owing to rain" is also correct and suitable in many contexts.

What is the difference between "owing to rain" and "due to rain"?

While both phrases convey a causal relationship where rain is the cause, ""owing to rain"" is often considered slightly more formal than "due to rain". They are largely interchangeable in modern usage.