as in rains
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 rainstorms
Unseasonably hot temperatures in January in between rainstorms accelerated the life cycle of mosquitoes in the region and led to an increase in mosquito activity, Kluh said.
—
Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Avoid planting grass seed right before heavy rainstorms, which can wash seeds away.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
The waterproof shell is perfect for those unexpected summer rainstorms.
—Jenn Rice, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
As heavy rainstorms drenched areas near Indianapolis, residents in parts of southeastern Marion County reported pea-sized hail.
—Carol Kugler, IndyStar, 20 Feb. 2026
Over the past several days, Southern California has been hit with a series of powerful rainstorms that have caused flooding, downed trees and power outages.
—Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
Flooding in Independence The sinkhole made its first appearance in July 2025, during a series of heavy rainstorms in the Kansas City metro.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026
Its water-repellent and windproof fabric holds up to extreme weather, from rainstorms to blizzards.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
But the current 80-degree temperatures in Southern California could turn conservation efforts around, using up some of the water saved during the rainstorms, Mount said.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Avoid planting grass seed right before heavy rainstorms, which can wash seeds away.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
The waterproof shell is perfect for those unexpected summer rainstorms.
—Jenn Rice, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
As heavy rainstorms drenched areas near Indianapolis, residents in parts of southeastern Marion County reported pea-sized hail.
—Carol Kugler, IndyStar, 20 Feb. 2026
Over the past several days, Southern California has been hit with a series of powerful rainstorms that have caused flooding, downed trees and power outages.
—Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
Flooding in Independence The sinkhole made its first appearance in July 2025, during a series of heavy rainstorms in the Kansas City metro.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 11 Feb. 2026
Its water-repellent and windproof fabric holds up to extreme weather, from rainstorms to blizzards.
—Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
But the current 80-degree temperatures in Southern California could turn conservation efforts around, using up some of the water saved during the rainstorms, Mount said.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rainstorms
Noun
-
For warm-season grasses, this occurs in late spring to early summer, when air and soil temperatures are warm and seasonal rains plentiful.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
-
Heavy rains in 2024 led to the boom.—
Anthony Bettin,
CBS News,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
It could be repurposed to heat atmospheric moisture in storms.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Summertime in the southeastern Caribbean offers excellent conditions for snorkeling and scuba, but June through November is hurricane season, marked by warmer, wetter weather, even when there are no major storms in sight.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rainstorms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rainstorms. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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