rain check
2 synonyms for rain check, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A polite refusal of an invitation that leaves the door open for another time, almost always in the phrase "take a rain check".
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use rain check
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
take a rain check
give someone a rain check
rain check on that
Informal; American in origin but fully naturalised in British English.
Etymology
From American baseball, where spectators at a rained-off game were given a stub admitting them to the replayed fixture.
Full origin of rain check →Frequently asked questions
What does it mean when someone says "I'll take a rain check"?
They are declining right now but signalling that they would like to do it another time. It is a soft no — genuine willingness in some mouths, a courteous brush-off in others, and tone usually tells you which.
Is it "rain check" or "raincheck"?
Two words is the standard spelling in both American and British usage, and it is the form dictionaries list. The closed-up "raincheck" is common informally but is still treated as a variant.
How do you politely take a rain check?
Name a reason and offer a specific alternative: "I can't make Thursday, but could we do the following week?" Without a proposed date, a rain check reads as a decline.
