rain
6 synonyms and 0 antonyms for rain, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Water falling from clouds in drops.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use rain
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English regn, an ancient Germanic word shared with German Regen and Dutch regen.
Full origin of rain →Frequently asked questions
What does “rain” mean?
The word “rain” means water falling from clouds in drops. In plain terms, water falling from the sky — or, more broadly, anything falling or arriving in large amounts.
How do you pronounce “rain”?
“Rain” is pronounced RAYN (/ˈɹeɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “rain” in a sentence?
Here is “rain” used in a sentence: “We got soaked walking home in the rain.”
What part of speech is “rain”?
Depending on how it is used, “rain” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “rain” come from?
The word “rain” comes from Old English. From Old English regn, an ancient Germanic word shared with German Regen and Dutch regen.
Is “rain” a common word?
“Rain” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “rain” have?
“Rain” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: water falling from clouds in drops.
What is the difference between rain, reign, and rein?
These three sound alike but mean entirely different things. Rain is water falling from clouds in drops. Reign is the period during which a king or queen rules. Rein is a strap used to control a horse, and appears in the phrase 'rein in,' meaning to hold back or restrain.
What is the difference between 'rain' and 'reign'?
Rain is water falling from the sky as drops — the weather. Reign refers to a monarch's rule, or how long it lasts, as in 'the queen's reign.' They are homophones, sounding identical, so spelling and meaning are the only way to tell them apart in writing.
What are the different types of rain?
Everyday terms describe rain by its intensity: drizzle is fine, light rain; showers are short, scattered bursts; and a downpour or cloudburst is heavy, intense rain. Meteorologists also classify rain by how it forms, such as convectional, frontal, and relief (or orographic) rain.