20 Words to Describe Rain

20 Words to Describe Rain in English

Rain is more than just rain in English — especially in British English. Thanks to a famously changeable climate, English has developed a surprisingly rich vocabulary to describe how rain falls, how it sounds, and how it feels. Instead of repeating rainy or heavy rain, native speakers choose more precise words like drizzle, downpour, or torrential. Learning these words will instantly make your English sound more natural, vivid, and expressive — particularly in descriptions, stories, essays, and exam writing. In this lesson, you’ll learn 20 useful words and expressions to describe rain, grouped by meaning, with clear explanations and natural examples.

Light rain

These words describe rain that is gentle, fine, or barely noticeable.

Drizzle

Light rain made up of very small drops.

It was drizzling all morning, so the pavements stayed wet.
Don’t worry — it’s only drizzle.

Spitting

Very light, intermittent rain.

It’s just spitting — no need for an umbrella yet.
The match continued despite the spitting rain.

Sprinkling

A few drops of rain that usually don’t last long.

There was a light sprinkling of rain in the afternoon.
The rain was barely more than a sprinkling.

Mizzle

(British English) A mix of mist and drizzle.

The day started grey, with a bit of mizzle in the air.
It wasn’t proper rain — just mizzle.

Short or moderate rain

These words describe rain that is noticeable but not extreme.

Shower

A short period of rain that starts and stops suddenly.

We got caught in a sudden shower.
Expect scattered showers later today.

Rainstorm

A period of heavy rain, often with wind.

A rainstorm passed through the area overnight.
The rainstorm caused minor flooding.

Pouring

Informal way to say it’s raining heavily.

It was pouring, so we stayed indoors.
Don’t go out — it’s absolutely pouring.

Heavy rain

These words describe intense, often uncomfortable rain.

Downpour

A sudden, heavy burst of rain.

We had to run for cover during the downpour.
The downpour lasted about twenty minutes.

Bucketing down

(Informal British English) Extremely heavy rain.

It was bucketing down all afternoon.
We got soaked — it was bucketing down.

Drenching

Rain that makes you completely wet.

We were caught in drenching rain.
The walk home was thoroughly drenching.

Torrential rain

Very heavy rain, often dangerous.

Torrential rain caused flooding in the area.
The roads were closed due to torrential rain.

Deluge

A sudden, overwhelming amount of rain (quite formal).

The deluge flooded several streets.
A sudden deluge hit the town.

Cloudburst

An extreme amount of rain in a very short time.

The cloudburst caused flash flooding.
We were caught in a violent cloudburst.

Cold or unusual rain

Sleet

A mix of rain and snow.

The rain turned to sleet by evening.
Walking in sleet is miserable.

Hail

Small balls of ice falling from the sky.

Hail damaged several cars.
It started hailing suddenly.

Describing atmosphere and effects

These words describe how rain feels or looks.

Misty

Rain that creates a hazy, damp atmosphere.

The hills looked beautiful in the misty rain.
It was a cool, misty morning.

Damp

Slightly wet, often unpleasant.

The air felt damp and cold.
My jacket was still damp.

Moist

Slightly wet (neutral or positive).

The soil stayed moist after the rain.
The air felt warm and moist.

Soggy

Too wet and unpleasantly soaked.

The ground was soggy after days of rain.
The grass was too soggy to sit on.

Pitter-patter

The soft sound of light rain.

I love the pitter-patter of rain on the roof.
The pitter-patter helped me fall asleep.

Final tip for learners

When describing rain, ask yourself:

Is it light or heavy?
Is it short or continuous?
Am I describing the rain itself or the effect it has?

Choosing the right word will make your English sound far more natural — especially in FCE and CAE writing tasks, stories, and descriptions.

Published by My Lingua Academy on 14 Dec 202414 Dec 2024