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
"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
For one thing, there’s money in Dahlonega, the smalltown Atlanta suburb where Anna grew up—and where, during the kind of rainstorm that dissolves evidence, a body is found on the hood of a car.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026
Their hopes dimmed as they watched a rainstorm approaching.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
