owing to the rain

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "owing to the rain" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to mean "because of the rain" or "due to the rain". Example sentence: We had to cancel our picnic plans owing to the rain.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 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

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

My objective is to watch it rise over St Michael's Mount – an allegedly awesome sight, but increasingly unlikely this morning, owing to the persistent rain that has soaked me to the skin.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

We pulled on rubber boots and forded the river, which, owing to the lack of rain, was running low.

The New Yorker

On the other hand, a decrease in droplet size may inhibit droplet growth through collisional coagulation during warm-rain formation; this effect has an influence on the Earth's cloud coverage through altering cloud lifetimes owing to the suppression of rain formation (Albrecht 1989).

Progress in Earth and Planetary Science

This flow might threaten the normal operation of hydraulic and hydroelectric installations owing to the unnatural and high-density rain as well as the unnatural and dirty mist.

Journal of Hydrodynamics, Ser. B

"Basic theory and a variety of numerical simulations support this," he writes, "as well as the projection that tropical cyclones should produce substantially more rain, owing to the increased moisture content of the tropical atmosphere".

Vice

The village of Cherrapunji in northeastern India, for instance, recorded over 9 metres (about 30 feet) of rain in one month July 18611) owing to the Indian summer monsoon.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Turnout was low, owing to the snow.

The Economist

Tony Paley: Trainer Roger Charlton has pulled Time Test out of the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot on Wednesday owing to the rain-softened ground at the track.

The Guardian - Sport

The fishing was off in Ireland, owing to all the rain, acid from the recent forestation of pine trees, and the sea lice that breed in the salmon farms.

Forbes

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

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "owing to the rain", ensure the context clearly indicates that the rain is the direct cause of the situation. Avoid ambiguity by placing it close to the effect.

Common error

Avoid using "owing to the rain" when the causal relationship is not immediately clear. Rephrase the sentence to explicitly connect the rain to the resulting event to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "owing to the rain" functions as a causal connector, linking the rain to a resulting event or situation. It explains why something happened, much like phrases such as because of or due to. Ludwig confirms its proper usage in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "owing to the rain" serves as a causal connector, similar to "because of the rain" or "due to the rain". As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and frequently employed across varied sources, including news, scientific publications, and encyclopedias. While generally suitable for most writing contexts, it tends to lean towards a more formal register. When considering alternatives, simpler phrases like "because of the rain" or "due to the rain" might be preferable in casual conversation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

due to the rain

Direct synonym, replacing "owing to" with "due to".

because of the rain

Replaces "owing to" with the more common "because of".

as a result of the rain

More formal phrasing, emphasizing the consequence.

caused by the rain

Simple and direct causal relationship.

as a consequence of the rain

Similar to "as a result of", but slightly more emphatic.

on account of the rain

A slightly less common, but still valid, alternative.

thanks to the rain

Can imply a positive outcome, depending on context.

attributable to the rain

More formal, suggesting the rain is the direct cause.

in consequence of the rain

Formal and less frequently used.

by reason of the rain

A more archaic and formal phrasing.

FAQs

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

Use "owing to the rain" to indicate that the rain is the direct cause of something. For example, "The match was canceled "owing to the rain"."

What's a simpler alternative to "owing to the rain"?

You can use simpler alternatives such as "because of the rain" or "due to the rain".

Is "owing to the rain" formal or informal?

"Owing to the rain" is generally considered more formal than alternatives like "because of the rain" but remains suitable for various contexts.

Can I start a sentence with "owing to the rain"?

While grammatically correct, starting a sentence with "owing to the rain" can sound awkward. It's better to place it within the sentence for smoother flow. For example, instead of "Owing to the rain, the event was postponed", try "The event was postponed "owing to the rain"".