as in rain
a steady falling of water from the sky in significant quantity
we ran into a big rainstorm on Highway 6, and the visibility was so poor we had to pull over
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Recent Examples of rainstorm
Reservoirs feeding that system rose by 69 feet during the November and December rainstorms.
—
Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Given the prevalence of heavy rainstorms as the climate warms, this flood control is becoming ever more essential.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
In November 2025, severe rainstorms revived an ancient lake that once reached depths of 7,000 feet.
—Outside, 15 Jan. 2026
There's a climactic moment in Palm Springs when Poppy cuts down the plastic just in time for a summer rainstorm to hit.
—Ashley Boucher, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rainstorm
Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Given the prevalence of heavy rainstorms as the climate warms, this flood control is becoming ever more essential.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
In November 2025, severe rainstorms revived an ancient lake that once reached depths of 7,000 feet.
—Outside, 15 Jan. 2026
There's a climactic moment in Palm Springs when Poppy cuts down the plastic just in time for a summer rainstorm to hit.
—Ashley Boucher, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rainstorm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rainstorm
Noun
-
Afghanistan is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, with snow and heavy rain that trigger flash floods that often kill dozens, or even hundreds, of people at a time.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
30 Jan. 2026
-
These storms begin as minor or average storms and then go through a rapid, explosive intensification, delivering heavy snow, blizzards, thundersnow, coastal flooding and flooding rains.—
Tammie Souza,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Parts of Asheville and surrounding communities still show visible scars from the storm.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Feb. 2026
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An animal cruelty investigation involving two dogs has ignited outrage on social media, after photos revealed the pets were tethered and abandoned during Charlotte’s weekend snow storm.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rainstorm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rainstorm. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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