rain 1 of 2

noun

ˈrān How to pronounce rain (audio)
Definition of rainnext
1
as in rainfall
a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity the rain continued for most of the day

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hail
a heavy fall of objects the Norman invaders fled when the castle's defenders threw a rain of stones down upon them

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rain

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to pour
to fall as water in a continuous stream of drops from the clouds it started raining early this morning and hasn't let up since

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to lavish
to give readily and in large quantities she rained praise upon her graduating students the squadron rained bombs on the enemy's fortifications

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of rain
Noun
Frank Mnich, a mudlark from Sussex, was standing at the top of a flight of steps down to the river, looking like someone who was there to fix the drains, in cargo pants, rain boots, and kneepads, with pouches fastened around his waist for his finds. — Sam Knight, New Yorker, 17 July 2026 Passing showers and thunderstorms are also possible in Ontario Friday, but that rain won't be enough to put the wildfires out, and the winds may make conditions worse and lightning could spark new wildfires. — Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 17 July 2026
Verb
With the Ball Hogs facing a daunting 26-17 halftime deficit against the Riot, Pargo took over and rained down multiple long-distance buckets to completely turn the game on its head. — Juan Carlos Blanco, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026 They’re exhausted by the time the tournament starts, especially if it’s been raining. — Nick Pachelli, Time, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for rain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rain
  1. rainfall
  2. hail
  3. pour
  4. lavish
  5. storm
  6. barrage
  7. flood
  8. heap
Noun
  • Bathrooms, complete with rainfall showers, are lined with Bellino Turkish cotton bath towels and Salt and Stone products; beds are made up in Cuddledown linens; and Whirlpool washers and dryers are in every unit.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2026
  • Thursday afternoon’s thunderstorms could pack rainfall rates up to 2 inches per hour — an intensity that can quickly overwhelm drainage systems and flood urban areas.
    — Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
Definition of rainfall
Noun
  • By its modelling, more than a quarter of US data-centre capacity sits where three or more big-hail days hit every year.
    — Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • The rounds of showers and storms will bring the threat of damaging winds, hail, a few tornadoes and chances for flash flooding in certain areas.
    — Aleem Agha, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Definition of hail
Verb
  • But this isn’t because of potential health risks or adverse effects in-flight—cabin crew simply dislike pouring it because of its excessive fizziness.
    — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 2026
  • The loss to the Oilers was the Hawks’ fifth straight, and pouring salt on the wound was the fact Dickinson and Murphy assisted on the last goal against their former team.
    — Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2026
Definition of pour
Verb
  • While many soccer fans and media observers have given Fox a mixed report card compared with ESPN, Pitaro lavished praise on his competitor.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 16 July 2026
  • Although much attention was lavished on their July 1986 royal wedding, their married life was complicated by scandal.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 11 July 2026
Definition of lavish
Noun
  • The storm system that caused historic flooding in West Virginia Tuesday into Wednesday and wreaked havoc from the Ohio Valley to the East Coast will linger across Virginia and the Southeast through the end of the week.
    — Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
  • Onlookers watched the storm surge at the Lake Pontchartrain estuary, with kids splashing in the floodwaters as Bertha approached the Louisiana Coast.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
Definition of storm
Noun
  • But the night ended in a barrage of bullets after Hicks broke free from Smith and Harris, who had pinned her to the ground, according to the document.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
  • Brittin and members of his top team were confronted with a barrage of unhappy questions from employees, who fired shots at plans for a below-inflation 1% pay rise, voiced anxiety about 2,000 layoffs, and lamented the low morale among colleagues.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 21 July 2026
Definition of barrage
Verb
  • Businesses that had never flooded before were suddenly underwater.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
  • At some point in the mid-1850s, the river Padma suddenly carved a new path through the village of his ancestors in modern-day Bangladesh, flooding their homes and scattering them across the Indian subcontinent.
    — Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026
Definition of flood
Verb
  • Their sparkling glass cases were full of heaping cream puffs, vivid cupcakes and caramel colored pastries.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
  • The attacks have heaped pressure on Russia’s economy, which is already grappling with the worst fuel shortages since the fall of the Soviet Union.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of heap

Phrases Containing rain

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raiment
rain
rainbow
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Cite this Entry

“Rain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rain. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rain

Nglish: Translation of rain for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rain

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