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
-
Both are durable, standing up to the summer heat and rains, often lasting well into late fall or early winter.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
-
Spring rains also create pockets of moisture, which attract many types of insects.—
Kody Boye,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Cloud cover will increase as the day rolls on, with a late chance for showers or storms.—
Lisa Meadows,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
-
So that may be kind of the most acute pain point for travelers, but the summer storms are still going to be coming.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rainstorms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rainstorms. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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