1
as in rainfall
a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity
the rain continued for most of the day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Biswajeet Banerjee, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
While there could be a passing sprinkle or shower today, most of the day will be rain-free, gray, and unseasonably cool.
—Steven Sosna, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Jesse Granger, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
The Iraqi child who showed me his drawing of a sky raining with bombs.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rain
Noun
Storms are common in northern India during the hot season from March to June, before the annual monsoon rains arrive.
—Biswajeet Banerjee, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
While there could be a passing sprinkle or shower today, most of the day will be rain-free, gray, and unseasonably cool.
—Steven Sosna, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Verb
Hats rained down on the ice following Dorofeyev’s third goal of the night, which tied it with 52 seconds remaining in regulation.
—Jesse Granger, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
The Iraqi child who showed me his drawing of a sky raining with bombs.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rain
Noun
-
Severe winds are possible, and storms will be slow-moving with high rainfall rates, raising the risk of urban flooding.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
-
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to localized flooding.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Storms could bring gusty winds up to 60 miles per hour and small hail as the area remains under a marginal risk (Level 1) for severe weather.—
Mary Kay Kleist,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
-
Police then shot Kirby in two more hails of gunfire, with the first and last shots coming about 17 seconds apart, video showed.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Bar staff are dancing atop a column attempting to pour champagne down a woman’s throat.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
16 May 2026
-
Security camera footage showed people pouring flammable material on the mosque and at least two vehicles, said Sabir Shalash, the head of Jibiya’s municipal council.—
Samy Magdy,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
But for all of the attention lavished on the video, there is also something highly familiar about it.—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
-
Friends have spent weeks lavishing praise on the man and his work.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
If there's a major storm, that could be the defining feature.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
-
The musical took Broadway by storm back in 1996, running for 12 years and winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, the Tony Award for Best Musical and more.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Luke Torrance led the barrage for the Chargers, going 4-for-5 with three runs, a double, a homer and two RBIs.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
And yet in the face of an extraordinary barrage of attacks, Leo appears to have been unfazed.—
Christopher Lamb,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Billions of dollars in private investment and federal dollars have flooded into the area in recent years, but many local businesses still express concerns about a lagging regional economy.—
Matt Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
-
Celebrations are sure to continue late into the night in Catalonia, and players and coaching staff flooded the pitch at the final whistle.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
And then to add insult to that heaping helping of figurative injury, the nachos took some collateral damage and were effectively ruined.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
-
The setup ranges from a bathtub heaped with ice cubes to a quick dip in a frigid lake or ocean.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rain. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
