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
Monday is expected to stay dry, with temperatures around 78 degrees, before a cold front brings the area’s next chance of rain, 20% to 40%, Monday night, the weather service said. — Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2026 The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood advisory Thursday as rain and king tides are forecast to soak South Florida. — Miami Herald Staff Report, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
Light Isaias rains in the Charlotte area Saturday morning are expected to become heavier throughout the day and evening, NWS meteorologists said. — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2026 Still, Wall Street is cautious about the rally being dependent on tech and whether higher bond yields could rain on the parade. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rain
Noun
  • Afternoon highs on Friday are expected to be a much cooler 57 degrees as a 40% chance of rainfall lingers in the area.
    — Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Both drought and heavy rainfall in coffee-producing countries such as Brazil, Vietnam and Costa Rica have ground down coffee bean yields.
    — Joe Hernandez, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • While the severe storm threat is less today, some storms Sunday afternoon and evening could be strong enough to produce gusty winds, isolated large hail and possible tornadoes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Arizona saw baseball-sized hail and a possible tornado that injured at least one person Wednesday evening.
    — Ava Berger, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Its stainless steel body can last for years of making pour-over coffee every morning or evening cups of hot tea, and the kettle also comes in handy to boil water fast for everyday recipes.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Following the news of the deputy's death, condolences from law enforcement agencies and city leaders began pouring in on Wednesday.
    — Briauna Brown, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The tech lobby — currently led by ginormous AI companies — has emerged as the largest source of campaign contributions in US history, lavishing tens of millions of dollars on both for Democrats and Republicans alike.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The two governors, who mended fences after clashing over last year’s Proposition 50 redistricting campaign, lavished praise on each other for their climate bona fides.
    — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • After the initial blast, which spews out gamma rays, a storm of radiation pours into the surrounding galaxy, creating a ferocious afterglow that burns in every part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • After this week’s storm, temperatures are expected to climb back into the upper 70s and low 80s through the weekend.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The Kremlin’s barrage hit a bridge and ambulance station, while Kyiv reportedly fired upwards of 600 drones on the Moscow region alone.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The storm on Wednesday that may have spawned a tornado was one in a barrage of strong storms across Southern California this week that caused localized flooding, strong rains and high winds, including a swift-water rescue in Los Angeles.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • For much of the Gaza war, Israeli protesters flooded the streets demanding that Netanyahu strike a deal with Hamas to release Israeli hostages and end the fighting.
    — Daniel Estrin, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The area has experienced unusually heavy rain since Wednesday that caused rivers to surge, flooding homes and forcing water rescues.
    — Anna Wilder, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The Ukrainian leader has pleaded with Washington to supply more Patriot air-defense ammunition to stop the missiles, and to heap more sanctions on Russia to pressure Moscow to pursue peace.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The Ukrainian leader has pleaded with Washington to supply more Patriot air defense ammunition to stop the ballistic missiles, and to heap more sanctions on Russia to pressure Moscow to pursue peace.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rain. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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