freezing rain
noun
: rain that freezes upon contact with a surface (such as the ground)
But to Healy's surprise, a glaze of freezing rain began to appear on the windshield.—
Jon Vara
Jon VaraThis also explains why the stuff we call freezing rain … falls as a liquid but then turns to a sheet of ice when it strikes the pavement or a tree branch.—Frederick K. Lutgens et al.
compare hail entry 1, sleet entry 1, snow entry 1
Frederick K. Lutgens et al.Examples of freezing rain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Michigan residents could experience light rain or freezing rain and snow this week before a mid-week warming trend that will see cities near state line reach 70 degrees by Thursday, March 26.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Further south, parts of the Northern High Plains and central Midwest are seeing a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
From Sunday late morning into Sunday afternoon, the region is in store for milder temperatures and freezing rain, with a few thunderstorms in central and east-central Wisconsin.
—John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 14 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, parts of far northwest Iowa — including Emmet, Palo Alto and northern Kossuth counties — could see freezing rain late Friday night into early Saturday.
—Brandi D. Addison, Des Moines Register, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for freezing rain
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.
Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Further south, parts of the Northern High Plains and central Midwest are seeing a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 15 Mar. 2026
From Sunday late morning into Sunday afternoon, the region is in store for milder temperatures and freezing rain, with a few thunderstorms in central and east-central Wisconsin.
—John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 14 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, parts of far northwest Iowa — including Emmet, Palo Alto and northern Kossuth counties — could see freezing rain late Friday night into early Saturday.
—Brandi D. Addison, Des Moines Register, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for freezing rain
Cite this Entry
“Freezing rain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freezing%20rain. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
