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
What to know about the fair The fair is an all-day, rain-or-shine event. Rachel Treisman, NPR, 18 June 2026 Arthur’s remnants were expected to bring 4 to 8 inches or more of rain to the Gulf states through Friday, the weather service said. Francie Ebert, NBC news, 18 June 2026
Verb
While the majority of the rock vaporized, the remaining fragments rained down harmlessly into the waters of Cape Cod Bay. Shawn Laatsch, The Conversation, 15 June 2026 After Diego Lopes’ finish of Steve Garcia in the opener, beer rained from the sky as zealous fans threw cups — doubling as a nod of gratitude to the clouds overhead, which held back from dumping actual rain and thunderstorms that had threatened the evening. Mark Puleo, New York Times, 15 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rain
Noun
  • Some storms could produce gusty winds, heavy rainfall, and frequent lightning.
    Lauren Bostwick, CBS News, 15 June 2026
  • Any places where such intense rainfall persists for several hours could have widespread flooding impacts.
    Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • Friday night’s storm dumped rain and hail across the state.
    Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 20 June 2026
  • Several vehicles park on the side of Interstate 694 in Fridley, Minnesota, as hail falls on June 19, 2026.
    Nick Lentz, CBS News, 20 June 2026
Verb
  • Clark had a collection of par saves around the turn as Scottie Scheffler was making a move and poured it on with a fairway metal to get within four feet for eagle on the par-five 16th for an even-par 70 that gave him a six-shot lead.
    Doug Ferguson, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2026
  • To clean it, pour enough vinegar into a plastic bag so the shower head will be submerged once inside.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 20 June 2026
Verb
  • Bogost lavishes praise on hobbies (fly-fishing), crafts (knitting), and trades (woodworking) as ways to dwell in sensory experience.
    Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 17 June 2026
  • In their Canon 18x50 IS binoculars review, our expert Jason Parnell-Brookes awarded them four stars, lavishing praise on their optics, image stabilization, ease of use and more.
    Chris McMullen, Space.com, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • Damaging wind gusts potentially topping 75 mph will take over as the main threat later Wednesday night, with individual storms expected to merge into cohesive lines from eastern Kansas first and eventually expand to western Ohio.
    Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 17 June 2026
  • The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.
    MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT, Miami Herald, 17 June 2026
Noun
  • For most first ladies, the barrage softens or dissipates considerably after their husband leaves his tenure as commander in chief.
    Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 15 June 2026
  • Surely that painful lesson helped Brunson weather the Spurs barrages.
    Sean Woods, Rolling Stone, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • The shooting came hours after thousands of Knicks fans flooded streets across Manhattan to celebrate the franchise's first NBA title since 1973.
    Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 14 June 2026
  • Jubilant Knicks fans flooded the streets of New York Saturday night, crowding into intersections and climbing light poles and buses, to celebrate the team’s first NBA championship win in more than 50 years.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
Verb
  • Yet the extremist group has mobilized its members and media outlets to ramp up criticism of the agreement, heaping pressure on Iranian negotiators who have been attempting to extract concessions from a US administration intent on weakening – and possibly ending – the Islamic Republic.
    Tim Lister, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
  • Little surprise that the pair explore the wider context of Brazil’s 1970 World Cup triumph, namely the military dictatorship that sapped national pride and heaped enormous pressure on a team — one who’d stunk up the tournament four years earlier — to restore it.
    Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 10 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rain. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.

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