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
Check during rainstorms to see if water penetrates through the foundation or pools from below.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2026
Climate change is bringing stronger rainstorms to New England, overwhelming aging sewer systems and sending more pollution into the river.
—Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Summer also brings on rainstorms with lightning and flash flooding.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2026
Rainstorms Are Driving the Surge in Animal Rescues Central Texas rainstorms have compounded the influx.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026
Southern California may experience more frequent rainstorms this fall and winter when a powerful El Niño system is expected to be in full effect.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The new radar system can also track smoke from wildfires and provide more detailed information about typical rainstorms, improving the accuracy of forecasts.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
Plan gear in advance and keep a close eye on the weather, as rainstorms usher in unbearable mud and dangerous flash flooding.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
The water year was off to a raging start with a series of rainstorms bringing much of Southern California to average or above average rain levels for the year in a period of just a few months.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 30 Apr. 2026
Climate change is bringing stronger rainstorms to New England, overwhelming aging sewer systems and sending more pollution into the river.
—Jacob Wycoff, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Summer also brings on rainstorms with lightning and flash flooding.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2026
Rainstorms Are Driving the Surge in Animal Rescues Central Texas rainstorms have compounded the influx.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026
Southern California may experience more frequent rainstorms this fall and winter when a powerful El Niño system is expected to be in full effect.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
The new radar system can also track smoke from wildfires and provide more detailed information about typical rainstorms, improving the accuracy of forecasts.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
Plan gear in advance and keep a close eye on the weather, as rainstorms usher in unbearable mud and dangerous flash flooding.
—Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
The water year was off to a raging start with a series of rainstorms bringing much of Southern California to average or above average rain levels for the year in a period of just a few months.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Oc Register, 21 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rainstorms
Noun
-
The next day, steady rains caused the F1 Academy race to be cancelled and the first 20 laps of the Miami Grand Prix to be crawled behind the safety car.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
-
Summers that pummeled the plants with monsoon-like rains?—
Libby Monteith Minor,
Southern Living,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Some storms could produce hail larger than 3 inches in diameter, especially with stronger rotating cells.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Hail damage contributed to $51 billion in insured losses last year from severe storms, according to the Insurance Information Institute.—
Michael Copley,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rainstorms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rainstorms. Accessed 6 May. 2026.
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