rainfall

noun

rain·​fall ˈrān-ˌfȯl 

1

: the amount of precipitation usually measured by the depth in inches

2

: rain sense 2a

Synonyms of rainfall

• rain

Examples of rainfall in a Sentence

This area has an average annual rainfall of 12 inches.

an increase in annual rainfall

Recent Examples on the Web

One meteorological station in central Vietnam recorded a national 24-hour rainfall record of 1,739 millimetres, according to Clare Nullis, World Meteorological Organization spokesperson. —Helen Regan, CNN Money, 6 Dec. 2025

Additional locations may experience flooding during periods of heavy rainfall, high winds, or other factors. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 6 Dec. 2025

The return of Lake Manly to Death Valley, known commonly as the driest place in North America, highlights historic levels of rainfall and offers a rare glimpse into the region’s ancient past. —Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025

Precipitation is increasing, including extreme rainfall events like Milwaukee's 1,000-year flood earlier this summer and a 2018 storm in Dane County that dropped a foot of rain in 24 hours. —Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 5 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rainfall

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

Kids Definition

rainfall

noun

rain·​fall -ˌfȯl 

1

: a fall of rain

2

: amount of precipitation

an annual rainfall of 20 inches