Rain can fall gently, like a soft sprinkle on your face. But sometimes, it pours so hard that it soaks your shoes and makes big puddles everywhere. When this happens, people often use fun phrases to talk about the heavy rain. These phrases are called idioms. They don’t mean exactly what the words say, but they help make the sentence more fun and easier to imagine.
For example, instead of saying “It’s raining a lot,” someone might say, “It’s raining cats and dogs.” Of course, animals aren’t really falling from the sky. This just means the rain is really strong. In this article, you will learn many idioms people use to talk about heavy rain. They will help you sound more creative when you speak or write. Let’s take a look at these rainy expressions.
Idioms for Heavy Rain
1. Raining cats and dogs
Meaning: Raining very heavily
Example: It was raining cats and dogs when we left the school. / I forgot my umbrella, and it was raining cats and dogs.
Put Differently: It was raining super hard. / The rain was pouring like crazy.
2. Pouring rain
Meaning: A lot of rain falling at once
Example: We had to cancel the picnic because of the pouring rain. / It was pouring rain during the soccer game.
Put Differently: The rain was coming down fast. / It was raining hard.
3. Bucketing down
Meaning: Very heavy rainfall
Example: It was bucketing down when I got off the school bus. / The sky opened up and started bucketing down.
Put Differently: It was raining like someone dumped a bucket of water. / Heavy rain was falling fast.
4. Come down in sheets
Meaning: Rain falling in thick, solid-looking streams
Example: The rain came down in sheets, and I couldn’t see the road. / It came down in sheets right after lunch.
Put Differently: The rain looked like big blankets falling from the sky. / I could hardly see through it.
5. A torrential downpour
Meaning: A very strong and sudden rain
Example: We were caught in a torrential downpour on our way to school. / The game stopped because of a torrential downpour.
Put Differently: It started raining super fast and heavy. / The rain was wild and strong
6. Drenching rain
Meaning: Rain that makes you completely wet
Example: I was soaked from the drenching rain. / That walk home in the drenching rain was awful.
Put Differently: The rain got me all wet. / My clothes were soaked.
7. It’s pelting down
Meaning: Rain falling hard and fast
Example: It’s pelting down out there don’t forget your coat! / We stayed inside because it was pelting down.
Put Differently: The rain was hitting the ground fast and hard. / Heavy drops were falling quickly.
8. Cloudburst
Meaning: Sudden heavy rain from a cloud
Example: A cloudburst surprised everyone at the playground. / The cloudburst flooded the street in minutes.
Put Differently: It rained really hard all of a sudden. / The sky suddenly let out a lot of rain.
9. Rain came down like bullets
Meaning: Rain hitting hard and fast, like tiny bullets
Example: The rain came down like bullets on the roof. / It was loud when the rain came down like bullets.
Put Differently: The rain was sharp and strong. / It made a lot of noise when it hit.
10. Skies opened up
Meaning: It started raining suddenly and heavily
Example: As soon as we stepped outside, the skies opened up. / The skies opened up right after recess.
Put Differently: It started pouring out of nowhere. / The rain fell all at once.
11. Heavens opened
Meaning: Sudden and heavy rainfall Example: Just as we started walking, the heavens opened. / We ran inside when the heavens opened.
Put Differently: It started raining hard all of a sudden. / The sky dropped a ton of rain.
12. Rain hammering down
Meaning: Rain hitting the ground hard
Example: I could hear the rain hammering down on the roof. / The rain was hammering down on the car.
Put Differently: The rain hit really hard. / It sounded loud and strong.
13. Drenched to the bone
Meaning: Completely soaked
Example: I forgot my coat and got drenched to the bone. / We were drenched to the bone after the walk.
Put Differently: My whole body got wet. / I was soaked from head to toe.
14. Rain like a waterfall
Meaning: Heavy and steady rain
Example: The rain was falling like a waterfall. / I couldn’t believe the rain it was like a waterfall.
Put Differently: It was falling strong and fast. / The rain wouldn’t stop.
15. Like standing under a shower
Meaning: Feeling like rain is pouring from above
Example: It felt like standing under a shower. / Walking in that rain was like standing under a shower.
Put Differently: The rain hit me all over. / It was falling just like bathroom water.
16. Sheets of rain
Meaning: Rain falling in solid-looking lines
Example: The sheets of rain made it hard to see. / We had to stop biking because of the sheets of rain.
Put Differently: The rain was thick and strong. / It looked like water curtains.
17. It was a wet one
Meaning: A very rainy day
Example: Today was a wet one for sure. / That game was canceled because it was a wet one.
Put Differently: It rained all day. / Everything got wet.
18. It came down hard
Meaning: Strong rainfall
Example: The rain came down hard during dinner. / We waited for the bus while it came down hard.
Put Differently: The rain was really strong. / It was pouring heavily.
19. Torrents of rain
Meaning: Fast-moving heavy rain
Example: Torrents of rain ran down the street. / The hill had torrents of rain going down.
Put Differently: Big streams of water were moving fast. / Heavy rain flowed quickly.
20. A wall of rain
Meaning: Rain so thick it looks like a wall
Example: We saw a wall of rain coming. / I walked into a wall of rain at the park.
Put Differently: The rain looked solid. / I couldn’t see through it.
21. Rain pouring off the rooftops
Meaning: So much rain it runs down roofs
Example: Rain was pouring off the rooftops in big streams. / We watched the rain pour off the rooftops.
Put Differently: Water was falling fast from the roofs. / The rain kept coming.
22. Coming down hard and fast
Meaning: Rain that’s heavy and quick
Example: It’s coming down hard and fast get inside! / We stayed in because it came down hard and fast.
Put Differently: It rained very strong and quickly. / It was not safe to be outside.
23. Getting soaked
Meaning: Getting very wet from the rain
Example: We got soaked walking home. / She got soaked without her raincoat.
Put Differently: We were all wet. / The rain hit us bad.
24. Blinding rain
Meaning: Rain so heavy it’s hard to see
Example: The blinding rain made it hard to find the car. / I couldn’t see through the blinding rain.
Put Differently: It rained so hard I couldn’t see. / Everything looked blurry.
25. Floods from the sky
Meaning: A lot of rain at once
Example: It felt like floods from the sky. / We stayed dry inside while floods came from the sky.
Put Differently: The sky dropped a lot of water. / It was raining so much.
26. Water falling in sheets
Meaning: Rain falling in long, wide streaks
Example: Water was falling in sheets from the sky. / The field got wet from water falling in sheets.
Put Differently: The rain looked like big lines. / It was falling all around.
27. Like rain from a hose
Meaning: Constant and strong rain
Example: It was like rain from a hose during the storm. / The sky sprayed like a hose.
Put Differently: The rain came out fast and hard. / It felt nonstop.
28. Rain dancing on the roof
Meaning: The sound of heavy rain
Example: We heard rain dancing on the roof. / I fell asleep to rain dancing on the roof.
Put Differently: The rain made tapping sounds. / It was a fast rhythm.
29. Drowned in rain
Meaning: Covered with so much rain
Example: We were almost drowned in rain walking home. / The street looked drowned in rain.
Put Differently: It was soaked. / Everything was full of water.
30. Flooding rain
Meaning: Rain that causes water to build up
Example: The flooding rain made puddles everywhere. / We got stuck in flooding rain.
Put Differently: The rain filled the streets. / There was too much water.
31. Like a monsoon
Meaning: Strong storm with lots of rain
Example: It felt like a monsoon out there. / That rain was like a monsoon.
Put Differently: It rained hard and long. / It felt like a big storm.
32. Like a river falling
Meaning: Heavy rain that moves like a river
Example: The rain fell like a river from the sky. / It was like a river falling on our heads.
Put Differently: The rain didn’t stop. / It poured without end.
33. The ground turned to mud
Meaning: So much rain that dirt turns muddy
Example: The rain made the ground turn to mud. / The field was all mud after the rain.
Put Differently: Everything was wet and messy. / The ground was soft and sticky.
34. The rain didn’t let up
Meaning: It kept raining for a long time
Example: The rain didn’t let up all day. / We waited for the rain to stop, but it didn’t let up.
Put Differently: It kept raining. / It didn’t stop.
35. Sideways rain
Meaning: Wind blowing rain hard to the side
Example: The wind made the rain come down sideways. / We got hit by sideways rain.
Put Differently: The rain didn’t fall straight down. / It hit us from the side.
36. Smacked by rain
Meaning: Rain hitting hard
Example: I got smacked by rain on the way to school. / The rain smacked my face.
Put Differently: It hit me quickly. / It felt strong.
37. Like a fire hose
Meaning: A huge force of rain
Example: The rain was like a fire hose during the storm. / It felt like a fire hose on my head.
Put Differently: The rain came out really strong. / It felt powerful.
38. Splashed from head to toe
Meaning: Got completely wet
Example: I got splashed from head to toe in the rain. / She was splashed from head to toe during recess.
Put Differently: I was soaked all over. / No part was dry.
39. Idioms for heavy rain falling in buckets
Meaning: Rain falling hard like from a bucket
Example: It was like water falling in buckets. / The rain fell in buckets while we ran.
Put Differently: The rain was super heavy. / Like dumping water out.
40. Idioms for heavy rain drops bouncing
Meaning: Big rain drops hitting and bouncing
Example: The heavy drops were bouncing off the ground. / We watched heavy drops bouncing on the sidewalk.
Put Differently: The rain drops hit and jumped. / They were big and fast.
“Rewrite the Sentence’’ activity: Idioms for Heavy Rain
Rewrite each sentence using one of the idioms above.
Sentences to Rewrite
- The rain was very strong and fast.
- We all got really wet walking to class.
- I couldn’t see anything because of the rain.
- The rain hit the roof and made loud sounds.
- It started to rain a lot all at once.
- The wind pushed the rain in all directions.
- We had to stay inside because it kept raining hard.
- The rain filled the street with water.
- The playground turned muddy after the rain.
- The rain felt like it was hitting me hard.
Answer Key
- It was raining cats and dogs.
- We were drenched to the bone.
- The blinding rain made it hard to see.
- The rain danced on the roof.
- The skies opened up.
- The rain came down sideways.
- The rain didn’t let up.
- There was flooding rain in the street.
- The ground turned to mud.
- I got smacked by rain.
Conclusion
Idioms help us say things in a more fun and simple way. When we talk about heavy rain, we can use many expressions instead of just saying “it’s raining.” These idioms paint a clearer picture and make the story more interesting.
Now that you know these rainy idioms, try using them when you write or speak. They will help you describe stormy days in new and better ways. Keep learning and keep practicing. It will soon become easy.
