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
Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The annual rains have been failing over the past several years, interrupted in 2023 by devastating flooding.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
During heavy rains, the back half of Dunes Drive can be difficult to navigate.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026
In Orlando’s core, the rains are expected to drop up to half an inch.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
The storm’s heavy rains caused widespread flooding that killed at least 43 people and led to the destruction of banana plantations, sorghum, beans, cassava, coffee and other crops as well as the loss of livestock.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Extreme weather conditions like higher temperatures and torrential rains caused poor crop yields three years in a row.
—Isaac Tellechea, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
Heavy rains Thursday washed out practice, but Vaghy completed a hitting lesson indoors with Mike Trimarco, her personal instructor from Elite Sports Performance in Oswego.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Shellear fish may attempt these excursions after hard rains wash them downstream.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2026
Eric Boodman, STAT, 23 Mar. 2026
Time seems to collapse in on itself when bombs keep dropping overhead, and the act of trying to visit a next-door neighbor becomes a matter of life or death as sniper fire rains down.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
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
Noun
This year, after unusually heavy rains in February, Carrizo Plain erupted in a dramatic bloom in March, attracting several hundred visitors per day.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The annual rains have been failing over the past several years, interrupted in 2023 by devastating flooding.
—ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
During heavy rains, the back half of Dunes Drive can be difficult to navigate.
—Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 7 Apr. 2026
In Orlando’s core, the rains are expected to drop up to half an inch.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
The storm’s heavy rains caused widespread flooding that killed at least 43 people and led to the destruction of banana plantations, sorghum, beans, cassava, coffee and other crops as well as the loss of livestock.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Extreme weather conditions like higher temperatures and torrential rains caused poor crop yields three years in a row.
—Isaac Tellechea, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
Heavy rains Thursday washed out practice, but Vaghy completed a hitting lesson indoors with Mike Trimarco, her personal instructor from Elite Sports Performance in Oswego.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Shellear fish may attempt these excursions after hard rains wash them downstream.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
Rain like it almost never rains in the desert around Las Vegas.
—Eric Boodman, STAT, 23 Mar. 2026
Time seems to collapse in on itself when bombs keep dropping overhead, and the act of trying to visit a next-door neighbor becomes a matter of life or death as sniper fire rains down.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rains
Noun
-
As for where the strongest storms will be, Hinton said forecast models point to closer to the coastline.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Their frames carry the weight of storms, salt air and centuries.—
Reginald David,
Hartford Courant,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The north especially has been affected by what locals have described locals as nonstop barrages, especially since Hezbollah joined the war.—
Max Burman,
NBC news,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Russia has taken aim at Ukraine’s power grid, and overnight barrages hit energy infrastructure in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Dnipro regions, Zelensky said.—
Derek Gatopoulos,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
And cheap Guinness pours only lubricate the mystique.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The 9-9-9 challenge in Section 139 invites fans to tackle nine slider hot dogs paired with nine 4-ounce beer pours across 9 innings.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Security footage provided by Elfvin shows the robot rolling directly into the side panel of a bus shelter, which shatters and showers the robot and sidewalk around it with what appears to be glass shards.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Rain showers from the rapidly-moving cold front could transition into snow showers March 16, leaving as much as a brief dusting of snow on surfaces, NWS Louisville officials said.—
Leo Bertucci,
Louisville Courier Journal,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Recent storms and heavy rainfalls caused the area to flood again, prompting the city to jump back into action.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Wild extremes of temperature, a heat dome, a potent bomb cyclone blizzard, epic rainfalls and violent tornadoes have wreaked weather havoc across the nation.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The advisory noted there are risks of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods and landslides — warning the Kathmandu Valley is prone to harsh weather.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Trooper, which sells a 75-item box equipped with water pouches, meal bars, and a hand-crank radio, designed to sustain a family of four for 72 hours, built its kits after the 2024 floods but has found an altogether different audience since the missile and drone volleys started, AGBI reported.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The hydrogen sulfide reacts with the iron content of the egg yolk, which precipitates into iron sulfide, a green-colored mineral.—
Taylor Tobin,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The introduction of Allen Klein [the notorious business manager whom Lennon advocated to take over the Beatles' affairs] precipitates the band’s crumbling.—
Joe Hagan,
Vanity Fair,
26 Feb. 2026
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 13 Apr. 2026.
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