verb
Uncommon
raining
RAY-nihng
Raining (verb) means falling as rain, or (figuratively) coming down heavily and continuously, like rain. Example: “It's been raining non-stop since Tuesday.”
verb
1
Falling as rain, or (figuratively) coming down heavily and continuously, like rain.
"It's been raining non-stop since Tuesday."
"Compliments were raining down on the young violinist after her performance."
"We stayed inside all morning because it was raining too hard to go out."
How to use raining
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRain is falling right now — or, figuratively, something is coming down thick and fast.
Common pairings
it is raining
raining heavily
raining cats and dogs
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Word forms
- Plural
- rainings
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
It's been _____ non-stop since Tuesday.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for raining
See all rhymes for raining →Frequently asked questions
What does “raining” mean?
The word “raining” means falling as rain, or (figuratively) coming down heavily and continuously, like rain. In plain terms, rain is falling right now — or, figuratively, something is coming down thick and fast.
How do you pronounce “raining”?
“Raining” is pronounced RAY-nihng (/ˈɹeɪnɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “raining” in a sentence?
Here is “raining” used in a sentence: “It's been raining non-stop since Tuesday.”
What part of speech is “raining”?
“Raining” is a verb.
Is “raining” a common word?
“Raining” is an uncommon word in modern English.
What is the difference between raining and rained?
Raining is the present participle form of the verb rain, describing rain that is currently falling, as in 'it is raining.' Rained is the simple past tense, used for rain that fell at a completed point in the past, as in 'it rained yesterday.'
When do you use 'it is raining' versus 'it rains'?
'It is raining' describes rain happening right now, using the continuous form. 'It rains' describes a general or habitual fact, such as 'it rains a lot here in winter.'
