Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

downpour

American  
[doun-pawr, -pohr] / ˈdaʊnˌpɔr, -ˌpoʊr /

noun

  1. a heavy, drenching rain.

downpour British  
/ ˈdaʊnˌpɔː /

noun

  1. a heavy continuous fall of rain

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of downpour

First recorded in 1805–15; down 1 + pour

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Each time a downpour begins, Scott strips down to the waist, grabs a large glass jug, and runs out to one of three drainpipes to collect enough water to last the week.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

Some roads have been closed after bridges were damaged in Nairobi, while some schools were also flooded after Saturday's downpour.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

Amid a torrential downpour, Jack Dempsey powered through from close range to reduce the deficit.

From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026

Those who did attend used umbrellas, ponchos and awnings to protect themselves from the downpour.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 1, 2026

She even got drenched along with Jude and me in a downpour the other day.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.