rainstorm
Americannoun
noun
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.
A sudden rainstorm can dissolve crystallised salt overnight -- forcing workers to restart the evaporation cycle.
From Barron's • May 10, 2026
The rainstorm is expected to bring one-tenth to one-third of an inch of rain in Los Angeles and Ventura counties and peak between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026
Some homes were ripped off their foundations after an overnight rainstorm, said Ian Scheuring, a spokesman for the city and county of Honolulu.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
"Even the weird barks that he does," laughs the 16-year-old, who braved a rainstorm to see Speed in action.
From BBC • Jan. 17, 2026
The weeds and bugs survived only by an occasional rainstorm, like the one he had seen from camp.
From "Holes" by Louis Sachar
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.
