rain 1 of 2

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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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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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
Start getting your rain gear ready – looks like some April showers are on their way. Lucia Cheng, Des Moines Register, 19 Mar. 2026 The game was played under a steady, windy rain, which didn’t seem to affect Messi in the early going. Andre Fernandez, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
Verb
Long before humans launched satellites, material from space was already raining down on Earth. Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026 The match started 90 minutes late due to rain over Hard Rock Stadium. Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rain
Noun
  • The not-uncommon weather phenomenon turned catastrophic on March 11, as back-to-back storms and record-breaking rain led to more than 30 inches of rainfall in some areas.
    Tiare-Leiana Solis-Ridgell, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Storms and heavy rainfall over the past few days across several provinces have led to severe flooding, landslides and lightning strikes, the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority said, adding that the figures could increase as more details become available.
    ABC News, ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • An isolated severe storm is possible with pea to half dollar sized hail accompanied by strong downburst winds.
    Trey Fulbright, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The program would offer grants of up to $10,000 to allow homeowners to retrofit their property to better protect them from hurricane, tornado, hail and other windstorm damage.
    ALEX ROZIER, ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Payton Pritchard poured in 36 points on 13-of-23 shooting (6-for-11 from 3-point range) to lead Boston back from a 16-point first-quarter deficit.
    Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
  • In other words, taxpayers were pouring money into scientific research.
    Tomas J. Philipson, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Members of an administration demanding that Cuba democratize have welcomed Vladimir Putin onto American soil and lavished praise on Hungary’s Viktor Orbán.
    Quico Toro, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Some of that was lavished on talent from Bayer Leverkusen, who cashed checks worth €165m for Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong from Liverpool.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Even minor changes in clouds, wind or storms can force delays, especially for a mission of this scale.
    Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • After a recent arrest in the long-dormant case, some agents say the barrage of threats persist — and not enough is done to protect them.
    Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Other videos depict barrages of Iranian ballistic missiles raining down on Tehran’s enemies.
    Newsweek Editors, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The American Jewish community responded to the Yom Kippur War, which killed nearly three thousand Israeli soldiers, by flooding Israel with donations; doctors and students volunteered to join the war effort.
    Eyal Press, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Inside, a central ramp—which spirals upward and outward from one exhibition floor to the next—creates an open interior space, flooded with daylight that pours in through a glass dome.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • As if Claire needs more trauma heaped on her, this is when Tom, Malva, and Allan Christie move to the Ridge with all their incestuous drama.
    Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 26 Mar. 2026
  • John Lindsay opposed the Vietnam War; Ed Koch heaped abuse on the Palestine Liberation Organization; David Dinkins spoke out in favor of dismantling South African apartheid; Rudy Giuliani ejected Yasser Arafat from a concert at Lincoln Center.
    Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rain. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

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