as in rains
a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity
the downpour was so heavy that we were soaked by the time we got to the car
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Recent Examples of downpours
Spotty showers will develop, and some downpours are possible.
—
Lissette Gonzalez, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
Austin has seen its fair share of wild weather during this time of year, ranging from subfreezing nights to near triple-digit temperatures, along with heavy downpours, large hail and intense lightning storms — even during SXSW.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
Local outdoor weekend events There are several outdoor events in Miami-Dade and Broward that could do battle with the downpours.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Storms could produce damaging winds, large hail, lightning and torrential downpours.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 11 Mar. 2026
There’s a chance for showers and isolated thunderstorms that can result in downpours later in the afternoon, Garch said.
—Elainie Barraza, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026
Heavy downpours, especially in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri, could also result in localized flash flooding.
—Melissa Griffin, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Isolated large hail, heavy downpours possible The first of what will be multiple rounds of thunderstorms returns overnight into Friday morning, the weather service said.
—Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026
Such torrential downpours, from loyalists and dissenters alike, often follow the deaths of notorious and long-ruling dictators—Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Saddam Hussein.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Lissette Gonzalez, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026
Austin has seen its fair share of wild weather during this time of year, ranging from subfreezing nights to near triple-digit temperatures, along with heavy downpours, large hail and intense lightning storms — even during SXSW.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
Local outdoor weekend events There are several outdoor events in Miami-Dade and Broward that could do battle with the downpours.
—Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Storms could produce damaging winds, large hail, lightning and torrential downpours.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 11 Mar. 2026
There’s a chance for showers and isolated thunderstorms that can result in downpours later in the afternoon, Garch said.
—Elainie Barraza, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Mar. 2026
Heavy downpours, especially in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri, could also result in localized flash flooding.
—Melissa Griffin, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Isolated large hail, heavy downpours possible The first of what will be multiple rounds of thunderstorms returns overnight into Friday morning, the weather service said.
—Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026
Such torrential downpours, from loyalists and dissenters alike, often follow the deaths of notorious and long-ruling dictators—Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Saddam Hussein.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downpours
Noun
-
Heavy rains strand motorists in hip-high water and disrupt Kenya Airways flights overnight.—
Evelyne Musambi,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Water deeply but only occasionally as the rains end.—
Nan Sterman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Several areas in the Kansas City metro are under severe weather watches and warnings, including a tornado warning, as storms roll through the area Tuesday evening, according to the National Weather Service.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Officials offer up to $5,000 to residents cleaning up sewage backups after certain storms, though activists say more is needed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downpours.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downpours. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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