rainstorm
Americannoun
-
rainstorms
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of rainstorm
Explanation
When clouds roll in and drops of water start to pour from the sky, it's a rainstorm. If the weather report predicts a rainstorm, you'd better grab your umbrella! You could also call a rainstorm a downpour or a cloudburst — it's a weather event involving heavier rain than a rain shower or drizzle. Certain unstable air conditions sometimes cause a rainstorm to turn into a thunderstorm. A farmer in the midst of a dry, hot summer is likely hoping for a rainstorm, but if you're excited about an outdoor family reunion next weekend, a rainstorm in the forecast will be very disappointing.
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.
See Examples For:
Poole González captured resilience in the face of hardship: A man showering outside in a rainstorm.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
She recalled leaving Wagoner's office after their musical split and driving home in a rainstorm, until the clouds parted, giving way to sunlight and an idea for another new song.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
One solution is to visit a house you’re thinking of buying in the middle of a rainstorm, when water-related problems can become more obvious, Marecheau said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
Another group in Philadelphia went shirtless in a driving rainstorm.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026
During his presentation, a torrential rainstorm fell and the black sounds of the duende shivered in the air with mystery and anguish and death.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
Cloud-seeding technology may be a drop in the bucket, as it doesn't create rainstorms.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
That uncertainty is especially important because a future with more powerful rainstorms does not necessarily mean the lakes will receive more usable water.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026
Earnings during the most recent quarter were also impacted by cartel violence in Mexico and historic rainstorms in Hawaii, with the two markets together representing around 30% of the company’s capacity, it said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 20, 2026
Last year, 80 percent of Bogus Basin’s pile survived torrential rainstorms and stretches of record summer heat.
From Slate ● Apr. 11, 2026
We endured pelting rainstorms that washed away our topsoil.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
