rainstorm
RAYNS-tawm
Rainstorm (noun) means a storm consisting mainly of heavy, often sudden rainfall. Example: “A rainstorm forced the outdoor concert to be cancelled.”
noun
1
A storm consisting mainly of heavy, often sudden rainfall.
"To make matters worse, we pass through a torrential rainstorm, which makes window-gazing almost impossible, leaving me glad that the trip is less than 30 minutes duration."
— Paul Bigland, From rural branches to high-speed arteries (2022)
"A rainstorm forced the outdoor concert to be cancelled."
"They got caught in a rainstorm halfway through the hike."
How to use rainstorm
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA storm with heavy rain, without necessarily involving strong wind or thunder.
Common pairings
caught in a rainstorm
sudden rainstorm
violent rainstorm
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Word forms
- Plural
- rainstorms
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A _____ forced the outdoor concert to be cancelled.
Etymology
From "rain" + "storm" — a storm whose main feature is heavy rain.
Rhymes for rainstorm
See all rhymes for rainstorm →Frequently asked questions
What does “rainstorm” mean?
The word “rainstorm” means a storm consisting mainly of heavy, often sudden rainfall. In plain terms, a storm with heavy rain, without necessarily involving strong wind or thunder.
How do you pronounce “rainstorm”?
“Rainstorm” is pronounced RAYNS-tawm (/ˈɹeɪnstɔɹm/ in IPA).
How do you use “rainstorm” in a sentence?
Here is “rainstorm” used in a sentence: “A rainstorm forced the outdoor concert to be cancelled.”
What part of speech is “rainstorm”?
“Rainstorm” is a noun.
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