as in rain
a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity
we ran into a big rainstorm on Highway 6, and the visibility was so poor we had to pull over
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Recent Examples of rainstorm
The touring production also re-creates all of the Broadway show’s best scenes, include the signature rainstorm, which is impressive for a road show.
—
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Leo took a pilgrimage to those ruins Tuesday, arriving during a rainstorm with sharpshooters covering the ancient flagstones and colonnades.
—Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 15 Apr. 2026
The pope arrived at the ruins in a rainstorm and with tight security, with sharpshooters positioned around the site and police officers stationed every few yards along roads leading to it.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Rainstorms Are Driving the Surge in Animal Rescues Central Texas rainstorms have compounded the influx.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rainstorm
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026
Leo took a pilgrimage to those ruins Tuesday, arriving during a rainstorm with sharpshooters covering the ancient flagstones and colonnades.
—Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 15 Apr. 2026
The pope arrived at the ruins in a rainstorm and with tight security, with sharpshooters positioned around the site and police officers stationed every few yards along roads leading to it.
—Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Rainstorms Are Driving the Surge in Animal Rescues Central Texas rainstorms have compounded the influx.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rainstorm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rainstorm
Noun
-
The last month has seen extensive rain, tornado watches, then warnings and flooding as the Des Plaines and Fox rivers were filled beyond capacity, Kumar said.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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Locally heavy rain will quickly reduce visibility and result in ponding of water on roadways, standing water in low lying areas, and minor flooding of creeks, streams, and areas of poor drainage.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The likelihood of lightning increases as a thunderstorm gets closer and reaches its highest point when the storm is directly overhead.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
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Some storms could produce hail larger than 3 inches in diameter, especially with stronger rotating cells.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rainstorm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rainstorm. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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