rain 1 of 2

noun

ˈrān How to pronounce rain (audio)
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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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

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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
Noun
Maui could see up to 3 inches of rain on the windward side of the island. — Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Social media video also showed rain leaking into subway stations and flooded streets. — Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
So, Stop Sales rained down on mozzarella cheese, roasted onions, roasted garlic, roasted mushrooms (72 degrees) and Alfredo sauce (70 degrees). — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2026 By February 2024, Israel had rained down destruction on Gaza, killing thousands of civilians including women and children, and destroying civilian infrastructure, earning censure from the international community. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rain
  1. rainfall
  2. hail
  3. pour
  4. lavish
  5. storm
  6. barrage
  7. flood
  8. heap
Noun
  • The areas that have had significant rainfall from this month's monsoon storms have seen a slight downtick in the drought levels -- for example, parts of southwest and northwest Colorado have seen many areas drop from extreme to severe.
    — Dave Aguilera, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The western city of David has seen just 60% of its average rainfall over the past 90 days.
    — Hira Humayun, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of rainfall
Noun
  • In the years since Shakur’s murder, what exactly happened in that hail of bullets -- and who pulled the trigger -- was obscured by a lack of physical evidence, feuding cops and the gangland code of silence.
    — Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Storms pulverized the southeast metro area with heavy rain and substantial hail.
    — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of hail
Verb
  • Tributes to Panettiere pour in from past colleagues, including Viola Davis, Kim Cattrall and Rosie O’Donnell — along with many others.
    — Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Griffin has poured tens of millions of dollars into GOP congressional and Senate races over the years.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of pour
Verb
  • Altman had been making note of Kushner’s investment in founders at splashy startups, including Slack, Instacart, and payment giant Stripe—staying loyal and lavishing them with attention even during rocky stretches.
    — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Its following includes Emmy voters, who lavished the series with 19 nominations, the most of any new series this year.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of lavish
Noun
  • The greatest risk from the storms will be from damaging winds and heavy downpours.
    — Rachael Jay, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The airport posted a handful of photos showing the aftermath of the storms.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of storm
Noun
  • Earlier this month, the air force stopped publishing the number of ballistic missiles fired or intercepted in Russia's nightly barrages.
    — David Brennan, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Nolan’s father, Elmore Wonsley said his grieving family has also received online attacks — including a sudden barrage of negative reviews against his wife, a nurse practitioner, and vitriol from strangers.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of barrage
Verb
  • Since the first attack July 18 in Elektrostal, just east of Moscow, and in the southwestern Tambov region, Wildberries depots burned one after another in massive fires that flooded social media.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Following the news of Panettiere’s death at age 36 on Sunday, fans have flooded TikTok to pay tribute to the actress and her many beloved roles throughout her career.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of flood
Verb
  • Juicy chicken, squash, red onion, and walnuts cook together on a sheet pan, then get heaped over arugula for a cold-weather salad that satisfies like a Sunday roast.
    — Emily Paster, Midwest Living, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The bulk of the country is now officially in drought, heaping pressure on water resources for households, agriculture and the environment.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of heap

Phrases Containing rain

Browse Nearby Words

raiment
rain
rainbow
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Cite this Entry

“Rain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rain. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rain

Nglish: Translation of rain for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rain

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