as in rain
a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity
the weatherman warned of possible cloudbursts in the afternoon
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Recent Examples of cloudburst
Warmer air soaks up water like a sponge, and all this extra moisture can result in extreme rain and sudden downpours like cloudbursts, especially when that air meets the mountains.
—
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
20 Aug. 2025
Such cloudbursts are increasingly common in India’s Himalayan regions and Pakistan’s northern areas, and experts have said climate change is a contributing factor.
—
Muhammad Sajjad,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
The flash flooding was caused by a rare weather event called a cloudburst, a sudden, heavy downpour where an unusually large amount of rain falls in a short period of time, according to Indian weather officials.
—
ABC News,
6 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for cloudburst
Sophia Saifi,
CNN Money,
20 Aug. 2025
Such cloudbursts are increasingly common in India’s Himalayan regions and Pakistan’s northern areas, and experts have said climate change is a contributing factor.
—
Muhammad Sajjad,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
The flash flooding was caused by a rare weather event called a cloudburst, a sudden, heavy downpour where an unusually large amount of rain falls in a short period of time, according to Indian weather officials.
—
ABC News,
6 Aug. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for cloudburst
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cloudburst
Noun
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The remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur battered parts of the southeastern United States with drenching rains and strong wind on Thursday, tearing through buildings, flooding homes and launching water rescues along the Gulf Coast.
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The system's impacts will be felt for the next couple of days in the form of ongoing heavy, flooding rain.
Noun
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The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
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The camp did not timely evacuate in advance of the July 3-4, 2025, storm, despite ample opportunity to do so.
Cite this Entry
“Cloudburst.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cloudburst. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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