rains 1 of 2

plural of rain
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

rains

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of rain
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
Noun
Steve Hubble, Boise’s climate action senior manager, said the tough winter has been somewhat balanced by rains throughout the spring and summer. Idaho Statesman, 1 July 2026 Local media reported at least nine of the dead were trapped under the rubble in the same area in the Mossikro neighborhood following the rains that started on Saturday. ABC News, 30 June 2026 Collin Morikawa birdied 18 to catch Scheffler and ducked into the clubhouse at 20 under as the rains descended upon the TPC River Highlands. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026 Its most intense years stretched from roughly 1934 to 1939, when prolonged heat, failed rains and relentless winds stripped topsoil from farms across Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico. Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 29 June 2026 These lawns will turn brown during dormancy and green up again when rains return. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 June 2026 Ward said a typical day sees 8 million gallons come through their treatment plant, but the rains brought in 60 to 65 million gallons. Mike Sullivan, CBS News, 29 June 2026 Control weeds in and near the gardens that flourish with the rains and harbor pests. Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2026 Widespread flooding across Kentucky has left at least four dead Saturday, prompting dozens of rescues after heavy rains wiped out bridges, inundated roads and flooded homes, with more significant rainfall on the way. Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 27 June 2026
Verb
As God rains down sulfur and fire to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot’s wife glances back and turns into a pillar of salt. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rains
Noun
  • While rain coverage is expected to remain limited, any storms that develop could produce gusty winds, frequent lightning and locally heavy rainfall.
    Troy Bridges, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • While most areas will remain dry through the end of this week, there is a chance for weakening showers and storms over far northwestern Missouri each evening, the weather service said.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • These strategic American missile defenses, in Israel and elsewhere in the region, significantly boosted Israeli defenses against Iranian barrages during that war.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Once relying on its massive missile arsenal, advances in Israeli intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance have neutered its previous strategy of relying on simultaneous barrages of missiles to overwhelm Israeli missile defenses.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • In the low-elevation deserts of Eastern California, the sun sits high in the sky during late June and pours energy into the ground for much of the day.
    Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • As the Judgment of Paris turns 50, winemaker Kristy Melton opens Freemark Abbey’s archives, pours historic bottles and reflects on what nearly 140 years of unbroken Napa history still has to say.
    Jill Barth, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • The tiny handle is easy to maneuver, making short work of quick cleanups and everything showers alike.
    Sara Coughlin, Allure, 5 July 2026
  • Water elements are abundant; all rooms include indoor and outdoor rainforest showers along with soaking tubs; some also feature private plunge pools.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 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
  • In the past, it's been falsely linked with everything from hurricanes to floods, wildfires and alien abductions.
    Emma Woollacott, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Deadly floods are common in parts of Africa, which is among the regions most vulnerable to extreme weather events despite being responsible for a small fraction of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
    ABC News, ABC News, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Again, an ammonium fluoride solution is one of the starting materials; the silicon dioxide simply precipitates out of this solution.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 May 2026
  • 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
Verb
  • Bogost lavishes praise on hobbies (fly-fishing), crafts (knitting), and trades (woodworking) as ways to dwell in sensory experience.
    Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 17 June 2026
  • In one particularly confessional episode, the Belgian star lavishes his wife with praise while waxing lyrical about his past mistakes.
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 8 June 2026

Cite this Entry

“Rains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rains. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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