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
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Recent Examples of rains
Arkansas Online, 21 Feb. 2026
The mayor’s signature program was in Skid Row in Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s district providing assistance to homeless people during the heavy rains this week.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
All that activity resulted from the deluge of autumn rains that greened up nearly the entire state.
—Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 21 Feb. 2026
Sewer systems, especially those that handle a combination of wastewater and stormwater, often overflow during heavy rains.
—Michael Copley, NPR, 20 Feb. 2026
Their release was perfectly timed with the arrival of the season’s first winter rains.
—ABC News, 20 Feb. 2026
Heavy rains and sewer backups can be a factor in some areas, so asking about backup history is practical.
—Allison Palmer
updated February 19, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
The third and final wave of a dawdling Pacific storm will hit San Diego County Thursday afternoon, wrapping up four days of soaking rains, heavy snow, tree-snapping winds and lightning that arced through the darkest hours of the night, the National Weather Service says.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
But those trees remain, and a fresh blanket of leaves and grass has sprouted after recent rains.
—Christine Lennon, Architectural Digest, 11 Feb. 2026
Lauren Bans, Vulture, 5 Jan. 2026
This dust accumulates in the corners, lurks under the sofa, and rains down on your lampshades.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2025
From his pulpit, Wicks rains down selectively vituperative fire and brimstone, with an eye toward provoking walkouts from unsuspecting visitors—say, a gay couple or a single mom.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2025
The dust is microscopic asteroid and comet debris that constantly rains in space, eventually making its way to Earth.
—Regina G. Barber, NPR, 11 Nov. 2025
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
Tensions escalate among the team, even before a hailstorm of bullets rains down on them, wounding Lolo; a cartel member is spotted signaling from a nearby house; and former cop turned DEA officer Matty Nix (Kyle Chandler) turns up in an armored truck and starts meddling.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
Floods, landslides in Philippines kill 7 MANILA, Philippines -- Torrential rains set off two landslides that killed seven people and floods that displaced more than 3,000 villagers in the southeastern Philippines, officials said Friday.
—Arkansas Online, 21 Feb. 2026
The mayor’s signature program was in Skid Row in Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s district providing assistance to homeless people during the heavy rains this week.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2026
All that activity resulted from the deluge of autumn rains that greened up nearly the entire state.
—Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 21 Feb. 2026
Sewer systems, especially those that handle a combination of wastewater and stormwater, often overflow during heavy rains.
—Michael Copley, NPR, 20 Feb. 2026
Their release was perfectly timed with the arrival of the season’s first winter rains.
—ABC News, 20 Feb. 2026
Heavy rains and sewer backups can be a factor in some areas, so asking about backup history is practical.
—Allison Palmer
updated February 19, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026
The third and final wave of a dawdling Pacific storm will hit San Diego County Thursday afternoon, wrapping up four days of soaking rains, heavy snow, tree-snapping winds and lightning that arced through the darkest hours of the night, the National Weather Service says.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
But those trees remain, and a fresh blanket of leaves and grass has sprouted after recent rains.
—Christine Lennon, Architectural Digest, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
That and the fact it never rains.
—Lauren Bans, Vulture, 5 Jan. 2026
This dust accumulates in the corners, lurks under the sofa, and rains down on your lampshades.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2025
From his pulpit, Wicks rains down selectively vituperative fire and brimstone, with an eye toward provoking walkouts from unsuspecting visitors—say, a gay couple or a single mom.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2025
The dust is microscopic asteroid and comet debris that constantly rains in space, eventually making its way to Earth.
—Regina G. Barber, NPR, 11 Nov. 2025
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
Tensions escalate among the team, even before a hailstorm of bullets rains down on them, wounding Lolo; a cartel member is spotted signaling from a nearby house; and former cop turned DEA officer Matty Nix (Kyle Chandler) turns up in an armored truck and starts meddling.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rains
Noun
-
This week’s storms are especially welcome because the statewide snowpack has been lagging after weeks of unusually warm, dry weather.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Colorado is heading into a rare week where fire danger, damaging winds and winter storms are all colliding, creating hazards across nearly every part of the state at different times.—
Callie Zanandrie,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Deadlock, then a daring escape While the dead and wounded were smuggled to shore and safety, the remaining sailors on board were stuck in sweltering heat, under threat from barrages from the shore, and with dwindling supplies.—
Anne Ewbank,
Popular Science,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Ukrainian civilians are enduring Russian aerial barrages that repeatedly knock out power and destroy homes.—
Emma Burrows,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Emirates offers luxury wines, Porter pours free Canadian beer and wine, and Fiji Airways serves creative cocktails featuring spirits distilled on those South Pacific islands.—
Karla Walsh,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The sunlight from the window pours onto her shoulders.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For her part, Rachel routinely showers her husband with words of affirmation in anniversary and birthday posts on Instagram.—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Someone who is good to you, the kind of man who showers you with gifts.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
During years of drought, when the water level dropped, trees grew in the lake bed, but when water returned following heavy rainfalls, the trees lost all their leaves and were just bare trunks and branches.—
Elizabeth Marie Himchak,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Dec. 2025
-
The researchers analyzed tree-ring data from across Europe to see how temperatures fluctuated across the century leading up to the Black Death to better understand the massive rainfalls Bauch had seen referenced in records.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
When heavy rain occurs, there is a potential for flooding, particularly in areas that are low-lying or prone to floods.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
-
As more of Kerrville’s four-legged community members were rescued, Kerrville Pets Alive began working alongside search-and-rescue teams to help retrieve animals who had died during the floods.—
Lesdy Hernandez,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But what precipitates an AI winter is some definitive evidence this hype cannot be met.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When Ray lavishes attention on another biker’s pet pillion, Kevin (Jake Shears of the Scissor Sisters), Colin sulks until his master unzips his trousers and gives him a treat.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Majumdar lavishes her characters with careful attention, and so the reader comes to regard their most troubling actions as justified, if not inevitable.—
Tope Folarin,
The Atlantic,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rains. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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