Phrase guide

rainy day

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A difficult period of need, in reference to a time when money will be needed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • I've kept some money in the bank for a rainy day.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see rainy, day.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a (future) time of financial need

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I am saving for a rainy day

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: time period, period of time, period

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: paha päivä (but see pahan päivän varalle) — difficult period of need
  • French: période de vaches maigres — difficult period of need
  • French: jour difficile — difficult period of need
  • German: schlechte Zeiten — difficult period of need
  • Irish: cos thinn — difficult period of need
  • Latvian: nebalta diena — difficult period of need
  • Lithuanian: juoda diena — difficult period of need
  • Polish: czarna godzina — difficult period of need
  • Romanian: vremuri grele — difficult period of need
  • Romanian: vremuri dificile — difficult period of need
  • Russian: чёрный день (čórnyj denʹ) — difficult period of need
  • Spanish: vacas flacas — difficult period of need
  • Spanish: cuando vienen mal dadas — difficult period of need
  • Turkish: zor gün — difficult period of need
  • Turkish: kötü gün — difficult period of need
  • Turkish: kara gün — difficult period of need
  • Chinese Mandarin: 雨天 (yǔtiān) — literal usage
  • Finnish: sadepäivä — literal usage
  • German: Regentag — literal usage
  • Ingrian: vihmapäivä — literal usage
  • Irish: lá báistí — literal usage
  • Korean: 비오는 날 (bioneun nal) — literal usage
  • Russian: нена́стный день (nenástnyj denʹ) — literal usage
  • Russian: дождли́вый день (doždlívyj denʹ) — literal usage
  • Southern Altai: јаҥмырлу кӱн (ǰaŋmïrlu kün) — literal usage
  • Turkish: yağmurlu gün — literal usage