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
The creature appears to be speaking to the others, and suddenly, the rain stops. — Barry Levitt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026 One of the most complicated winter patterns is expected, with coastal areas more likely to see rain or mixed precipitation while inland locations could see rounds of heavy, wet snow, especially in January and February. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
Verb
In the story, an unnamed peaceful Ukrainian city is thrown into chaos when hulking military machines with menacing grins approach and begin raining down rockets on it. — Constant Méheut, New York Times, 27 July 2026 The Rhine’s water levels in Germany have risen over the past few days thanks to rain, but the danger isn’t over. — Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 21 July 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
  • Massive walk-in bathroom with a rainfall shower and a deep bathtub.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Extreme heat waves increase wildfire risk, and a warmer world supercharges storms that could ultimately send more rainfall.
    — Linley Sanders, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of rainfall
Noun
  • The storm system brings the chance of some hail and damaging winds throughout the evening.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Extreme heat, drought, hail and wildfires are rampant across the world, and fires are no longer just occasional tragedies.
    — Kate Dingwall, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026
Definition of hail
Verb
  • But now, as the sun poured through the third-floor atrium of the Bloom Center, Riley couldn’t help but point out the symbolism of such an ambitious undertaking actually coming to life.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Iron remains the priority The expansion lands at a time when Washington is pouring billions into domestic critical minerals projects in an effort to loosen China’s grip on strategic supply chains.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of pour
Verb
  • Critics lavished praise on the film, so much so that chatter about potential Oscar attention kicked up in Hollywood.
    — Brooks Barnes, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
  • While many soccer fans and media observers have given Fox a mixed report card compared with ESPN, Pitaro lavished praise on his competitor.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 16 July 2026
Definition of lavish
Noun
  • Friday will be more active with more widespread coverage of showers and storms.
    — Katie Houlis, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The Storm Prediction Center, part of the National Weather Service, has placed central and eastern Missouri at a marginal risk (level 1 of 5) of severe storms.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of storm
Noun
  • On one night alone this week, a barrage of more than two dozen ballistic and anti-ship missiles hit the Ukrainian capital region.
    — Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Kyiv's military administration said the missile and drone barrage hit residential buildings and warehouses.
    — Duarte Dias, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of barrage
Verb
  • This summer alone, we’re flooded with visitors excited to see the new Obama Presidential Center, enjoy Taste of Chicago and Lollapalooza, or just visit the museums and hang out by the lake.
    — Ray LaHood, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • But the ease of generating cheap, low-quality video has the potential to flood the platform with garbage, a threat that has been on the minds of company executives intent on making YouTube feel more, not less, premium.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of flood
Verb
  • Add a generous, heaping spoonful of the zucchini ragu (about 1/2 cup) to the pan along with a splash of the reserved pasta water.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • This is not some idle fare -- the family is heaping trust in AI that could regrettably backfire on them.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of heap

Phrases Containing rain

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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 9 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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