downpour
Americannoun
-
downpours
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of downpour
Explanation
A downpour is a rainstorm, especially a very heavy one. If you get caught unexpectedly in a downpour, you'll wish you brought an umbrella. A downpour is exactly what it sounds like: torrential, pouring rain. A downpour, even one that's brief, can cause flooding in streets and basements. In some parts of the world, there are whole seasons that regularly bring downpours, while other places experience droughts so severe that people wish for a downpour. The word has been in use since the mid-19th century.
Vocabulary lists containing downpour
Water Hazard: Words for Too Much Moisture
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Raining Cats and Dogs
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Because of Winn-Dixie
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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:
What makes things even more difficult is that it’s impossible, as of now, to pinpoint the exact time and location of a downpour, even though it can be gauged with marvelous accuracy.
From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026
Floods, landslides and accidents driven by a nine-day downpour equivalent to more than a month's worth of rain in some areas have killed at least 13 people in the northern Philippines, rescuers said Monday.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
A downpour on Christmas Day caused severe damage to the recreational area, including significant flooding and washouts prompting a massive cleanup.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
But sometimes, those dark skies and unyielding downpour are a metaphor.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
It was a roaring, ripping downpour of water that almost drove them into the ground.
From "The River" by Gary Paulsen
Heavy downpours have brought rain to parts in need this week - albeit with some flash flooding - but these are set to ease.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
The torrential downpours late Thursday triggered landslide warnings and power outages, with forecasters issuing the highest-level heavy rain warning for the Chiba region for the first time.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
In Taiwan, dozens of ferry services were suspended and more than 180 flights were cancelled as the storm brought downpours and strong winds to the island's north on Sunday.
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
Meanwhile, a series of quick downpours such as heavy summer showers or thunderstorms may appear to give large rainfall totals, but the rain falls faster than the soil can absorb it.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
I had gotten soaked during a couple of May downpours, and now that my house was done, I wanted the chance to sit in my hemlock and watch a cloudburst wet everything but me.
From "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George
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.
