# owing

/ˈoʊɪŋ/ (US) · /ˈəʊɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/owing
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. unpaid debt

adjective · CEFR B2 · Formal

money that is still to be paid.

For teachers: referring to a debt or obligation that remains unpaid or outstanding.

- The total amount owing must be paid by the end of the month.
- After the final audit, the company discovered a significant sum still owing to several local suppliers.

Usage: Usually follows the noun it describes or comes after a linking verb like 'be'.

### 2. owing to (because of)

verb · CEFR B1 · Formal

used in the phrase 'owing to' to explain the reason for something.

For teachers: functioning as a complex preposition meaning 'because of' or 'on account of'.

- The match was cancelled owing to heavy rain.
- Owing to unforeseen circumstances regarding the venue's safety certification, the conference has been postponed until further notice.

Usage: Always followed by a noun or noun phrase; more formal than 'because of'.

## Examples

- I am still owing him fifty dollars for the concert tickets.
- After the long renovation, the homeowner was still owing the contractor for the final week of labor.
- The struggling firm found itself owing vast sums to its creditors, leading to a desperate search for new investors to avoid total liquidation.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.