rainstorm

noun

rain·​storm ˈrān-ˌstȯrm How to pronounce rainstorm (audio)
Synonyms of rainstormnext
: a storm of or with rain

Synonyms of rainstorm

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of rainstorm in a Sentence

we ran into a big rainstorm on Highway 6, and the visibility was so poor we had to pull over
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Broncos have a short week before hosting the Seattle Seahawks (3-2) on Thursday night in what's expected to be a rainstorm. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 He gets caught in a rainstorm with the main character, a destitute fourth grader. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 Mahomes was on a baseball diamond with his 3-year-old son during a practice held in a driving rainstorm. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 8 Oct. 2026 The insects started to migrate from higher elevations to coniferous forests, but a historic 2013 rainstorm stopped their advance. — Jennifer Oldham, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rainstorm

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rainstorm was in 1799

Rhymes for rainstorm

See All Rhymes for rainstorm

Browse Nearby Words

rainstone
rainstorm
rainsuit
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rainstorm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rainstorm. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

rainstorm

noun
rain·​storm -ˌstȯ(ə)rm How to pronounce rainstorm (audio)
: a storm of or with rain
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of deportment

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All