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
The city of Leawood is looking to repair pipes and stormwater systems in an area that’s been plagued with flooding and water drainage issues during heavy rainstorms.
—
Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 1 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
The air under a ridge is also stable, preventing the formation of clouds or rainstorms—the clear skies allow sunlight to heat up the surface unimpeded.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 20 Mar. 2026
At the same time, a warmer atmosphere holds more water vapor, which is then released in fewer, more extreme rainstorms.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent rainstorms across California are also contributing to a surge in termite sightings.
—Sacbee.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Then, for those seeds to grow, rainstorms need to occur at an even interval between winter and spring.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 1 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
The air under a ridge is also stable, preventing the formation of clouds or rainstorms—the clear skies allow sunlight to heat up the surface unimpeded.
—Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 20 Mar. 2026
At the same time, a warmer atmosphere holds more water vapor, which is then released in fewer, more extreme rainstorms.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent rainstorms across California are also contributing to a surge in termite sightings.
—Sacbee.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Then, for those seeds to grow, rainstorms need to occur at an even interval between winter and spring.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rainstorms
Noun
-
Extreme weather conditions like higher temperatures and torrential rains caused poor crop yields three years in a row.—
Isaac Tellechea,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Heavy rains over the last several days, which have led to deadly floods in many parts of Afghanistan, had left the ground sodden and soft.—
Elena Becatoros,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Even minor changes in clouds, wind or storms can force delays, especially for a mission of this scale.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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For people living along the coast, sand also defends against intense storms and sea level rise fueled by climate change.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rainstorms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rainstorms. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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