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:
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
However, a rainstorm soon damaged Pinky’s reinforced cloth wing and the bird was temporarily removed for repairs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
It doesn’t help that a rainstorm of biblical proportions is befalling Chicago.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
“We had a big wind and rainstorm one night and near all the pine trees blowed down. Peeler and Lovin Comp’ny put a sawmill in there and sawed’m up.”
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
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
Last year, 80 percent of Bogus Basin’s pile survived torrential rainstorms and stretches of record summer heat.
From Slate ● Apr. 11, 2026
“Bacteria levels can increase significantly during and after rainstorms, as contaminants within the runoff enters the ocean,” the department said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 2, 2026
But some of the high-tech company’s biggest problems began with a very low-tech nuisance: unexpectedly turbulent rainstorms in North Texas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 16, 2025
Some would say it was a beautiful day, but Kaori thought rainstorms had much more personality.
From "Hello, Universe" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
