1
as in storms
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
2
as in barrages
a heavy fall of objects
the Norman invaders fled when the castle's defenders threw a rain of stones down upon them
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in pours
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 showers
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 rains
Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
Haiti’s Office of Civil Protection said flooding of the Saint Martin River caused by heavy rains also destroyed a bridge in Saint Suzanne in the northeast region of Haiti.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Regular spring rains spur germination, especially when the soil temperatures are on the rise.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
People face food insecurity due to cuts in benefit programs and rising grocery prices long before the August rains and will linger long after.
—La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Munising Falls, just east of the city, remains closed to visitors, according to the NPS website, after spring rains washed out more than 75 feet of the trail.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 23 Oct. 2025
When torrential rains hit a swath of Mexico last week, the Cazones River swelled so fast there was virtually no time to flee.
—Cristopher Rogel Blanquet, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Nor'easter kills at least 1 on East Coast Meanwhile across the country, a relentless Nor'easter brought heavy rains and winds to a large portion of the East Coast and was expected to move out into the Atlantic Ocean.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
The consensus seemed to be that the rains that arrived on Monday, which didn’t seem as strong or frequent as the weekend storms, wouldn’t overfill the river.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 14 Oct. 2025
Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Now, in preparation for a ground invasion, Israel rains yet more American bombs on Gaza City—another round of mindless, brutal violence against a population that has endured it every day for almost two years.
—Jack Sheehan
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
It is hurt, evident by the acid blood that rains down, but the Xenomorph is not dead.
—Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Noun
Torrential rains are impacting portions of Haiti and will begin in Jamaica later Saturday and last for several days, bringing life-threatening, potentially catastrophic impact.
—Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
Haiti’s Office of Civil Protection said flooding of the Saint Martin River caused by heavy rains also destroyed a bridge in Saint Suzanne in the northeast region of Haiti.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Regular spring rains spur germination, especially when the soil temperatures are on the rise.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
People face food insecurity due to cuts in benefit programs and rising grocery prices long before the August rains and will linger long after.
—La Risa R. Lynch, jsonline.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Munising Falls, just east of the city, remains closed to visitors, according to the NPS website, after spring rains washed out more than 75 feet of the trail.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 23 Oct. 2025
When torrential rains hit a swath of Mexico last week, the Cazones River swelled so fast there was virtually no time to flee.
—Cristopher Rogel Blanquet, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
Nor'easter kills at least 1 on East Coast Meanwhile across the country, a relentless Nor'easter brought heavy rains and winds to a large portion of the East Coast and was expected to move out into the Atlantic Ocean.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
The consensus seemed to be that the rains that arrived on Monday, which didn’t seem as strong or frequent as the weekend storms, wouldn’t overfill the river.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
Sulfuric acid rains down through the sickly yellow sky but never reaches the lava-licked ground.
—Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Now, in preparation for a ground invasion, Israel rains yet more American bombs on Gaza City—another round of mindless, brutal violence against a population that has endured it every day for almost two years.
—Jack Sheehan
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
It is hurt, evident by the acid blood that rains down, but the Xenomorph is not dead.
—Christopher Rudolph, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rains
Noun
-
To better understand how these storms can wreak so much havoc, our research team created simulations to show how storms interact with Earth’s natural magnetic shield and trigger the dangerous geomagnetic activity that can shut down electric grids.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The storms brought by atmospheric rivers are known for their heavy snow, heavy rain and strong winds.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Russians have also continued nightly barrages of drones and missiles against targets across Ukraine, especially against energy infrastructure.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Having friends secures Israel’s place in the region and the world, as the remarkable coordinated response to Iranian missile barrages should’ve made clear.—
Bloomberg Opinion,
Twin Cities,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Romanticizing old anecdotes through illustration and packing in details, the documentarian pours his soul into Boorman’s for a possession that’s warmly and memorably religious.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Sunlight pours in through soaring windows in the primary suite, illuminating a wooden media center.—
Demetrius Simms,
Robb Report,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Faye is both highly supportive yet frustrated by the distant Springsteen, who showers her with love before disappearing into his music.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Snow showers throughout the week; travelers advised to remain cautious due to potential slick conditions.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Warmer air, for example, boosts evaporation, which leads to more moisture entrained in the atmosphere, intensifying rainfalls, while warmer oceans provide an energy source for more violent hurricanes.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Cameroon is subject to very heavy rainfalls.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
August floods in the Milwaukee area caused significant damage to over 20 food pantries in the Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin network.—
La Risa R. Lynch,
jsonline.com,
23 Oct. 2025
-
When heavy rain occurs, there is a potential for flooding, particularly in areas that are low-lying or prone to floods.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But what precipitates an AI winter is some definitive evidence this hype cannot be met.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
An ancillary of the brand’s best-selling, ambery-woody eau, each aluminum tube contains a quick-absorbing lotion that lavishes skin with moisture, keeping hands feeling comfortable and cuticles softened with its moisturizing blend of avocado oil, shea butter, plus green tea and chamomile extracts.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rains. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share