1
: the amount of precipitation usually measured by the depth in inches
2
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
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), flash floods occur within 6 hours, and often within 3 hours, of heavy rainfall.
—
Rebecca Schneid, Time, 15 July 2025
There is a slight risk of excessive rainfall across most of east Central Florida.
—Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
Additional rainfall amounts of 0.2 to 0.5 inches are possible in the warned area.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
The watch is in effect for all of central Maryland until midnight, as between a quarter and half an inch of rainfall is expected to hit Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 14 July 2025
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Rebecca Schneid, Time, 15 July 2025
There is a slight risk of excessive rainfall across most of east Central Florida.
—Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
Additional rainfall amounts of 0.2 to 0.5 inches are possible in the warned area.
—Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
The watch is in effect for all of central Maryland until midnight, as between a quarter and half an inch of rainfall is expected to hit Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for rainfall
Cite this Entry
“Rainfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rainfall. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rainfall
noun
rain·fall
-ˌfȯl 
1
: a fall of rain
2
: amount of precipitation
an annual rainfall of 20 inches
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