owing to

preposition

: because of
absent owing to illness

Examples of owing to in a Sentence

She walks with a limp owing to a childhood injury. owing to the extra snow days this year, we'll have to run an additional two days into June
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The country retains a colonial charm owing to Spanish and Portuguese settlers. Chris Dorsey, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 Dynamic’s first game was against the vaunted Montverde, and his squad jumped out to an early 12–2 lead, largely owing to the players’ defensive effort. Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 23 June 2025 Recession fears have tempered in recent weeks, owing to a pause in the U.S.-China trade dispute and a recovery in the stock market. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025 But while Greenland does boast 18% of the world’s total rare earth reserves, accessing them is extremely problematic, owing to freezing temperatures and a thick layer of silica. Charlie Campbell, Time, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for owing to

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1625, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of owing to was circa 1625

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Owing to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/owing%20to. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

owing to

preposition
: because of
absent owing to illness

More from Merriam-Webster on owing to

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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