cloudburst

noun

cloud·​burst ˈklau̇d-ˌbərst 

1

: a sudden copious rainfall

2

: a sudden outpouring : deluge

a cloudburst of anger

Synonyms

• rain
• storm

Examples of cloudburst in a Sentence

A cloudburst caused the river to flood.

the weatherman warned of possible cloudbursts in the afternoon

Recent Examples on the Web

The flood began in the early afternoon after a cloudburst caused the Kheerganga river to swell, leading muddy water to inundate the village in Uttarkashi district and surrounding areas, according to the BBC. —Abigail Adams, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025

The India Meteorological Department defines a cloudburst as having a rainfall rate over 100 mm (4 inches) per hour. —Taylor Ward, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2025

But none of that potential bad news, or a spring cloudburst, could dampen the recent celebration of the park’s 50th birthday held at a Minneapolis brewery by the Voyageurs Conservancy – which was founded a decade before the park opened, and works to connect more people to Voyageurs. —Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 7 June 2025

The Yankees scored twice before the cloudburst to stake a 4-2 lead. —Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 25 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1869, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cloudburst

• amerced
• coerced
• conversed
• disbursed
• dispersed
• headfirst
• immersed
• outburst
• rehearsed
• reversed
• submersed
• sunburst

Kids Definition

cloudburst

noun

cloud·​burst ˈklau̇d-ˌbərst 

: a sudden heavy rainfall