1
: a person who produces or attempts to produce rain by artificial means
2
: a person (such as a partner in a law firm) who brings in new business
also : a person whose influence can initiate progress or ensure success

Examples of rainmaker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While often cast as a rainmaker in Southern California, El Niño can also wreak havoc on the coastline. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 Bloys may be the rainmaker with HBO and HBO Max content, but Perrette oversaw product design, global distribution deals and a host of other aspects of the streamer’s growth. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026 Loui charged him with replacing Navatek’s rainmaker and eventually named Kao CEO. — William Turton, ProPublica, 22 Sep. 2026 Sixteen years later, the rainmaker still feels pain in his leg. — Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rainmaker

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rainmaker was in 1775

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rainmaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rainmaker. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

Legal Definition

rainmaker

noun
: a person (as a partner in a law firm) who brings in new business
rainmaking noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster