Multiyear droughts (MYD) greatly affect ecosystems and human life. Using historical MYDs in China (1991–2020) and numerical experiments, we assessed how rainfall timing affects MYD alleviation. We found an early-stage response within the first three months of MYD, where rainfall is generally most effective. Within this window, the second and third months may exceed the first month, especially in drier regions and longer MYDs. These findings highlight rainfall timing in MYD alleviation.