rainfall

noun

rain·​fall ˈrān-ˌfȯl 

1

: the amount of precipitation usually measured by the depth in inches

2

: rain sense 2a

Synonyms

• cloudburst
• deluge
• downfall
• downpour
• rain
• rainstorm
• storm
• wet

Examples of rainfall in a Sentence

This area has an average annual rainfall of 12 inches.

an increase in annual rainfall

Recent Examples on the Web

The threat of excessive rainfall increases on May 25 for states in the central and southern Plains, the middle and lower Mississippi Valley and the Tennessee Valley, forecasters said. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 25 May 2025

The main severe threats with this activity will be large hail and damaging winds, with widespread rainfall totals expected to be around 1 to 2 inches. —Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 May 2025

Main storm threats include locally damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph, hail, cloud-to-ground lightning and locally heavy rainfall. —Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 May 2025

There is a marginal risk for excessive rainfall leading to flash flooding from Kansas to Arkansas with rounds of heavy rain expected over this region beginning overnight into Saturday morning. —Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 22 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rainfall

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

Kids Definition

rainfall

noun

rain·​fall -ˌfȯl 

1

: a fall of rain

2

: amount of precipitation

an annual rainfall of 20 inches