pouring down

USAGE SUMMARY

'pouring down' is correct and frequently used in written English.
It can be used when you want to convey that a liquid is falling quickly and heavily from the sky, often in reference to rain or snow. Example sentence: "It was pouring down rain so hard that I had to turn on my windshield wipers."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's pouring down now.

The Guardian - Sport

Ash pouring, pouring down, hurting the eyes.

The New Yorker

The skies opened and rain began pouring down.

MIT Technology Review

It's pouring down from the loft, litres of it.

The Guardian

It was only appropriate that it was absolutely pouring down!

The Guardian - Sport

"I like to see the water pouring down," he said, sounding utterly unrepentant.

The New York Times - Science

There were people in the room with tears pouring down their faces.

Independent

Heavy rain is pouring down around a mile from the cave.

The Guardian

Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images Suddenly... it's pouring down again.

The Guardian - Music

It's pouring down as kick-off approaches.

BBC

It'll be like a gigantic video stream pouring down from the sky," Gilmore says.

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "pouring down" to emphasize the intensity of liquid falling, especially rain. For example, "It was "pouring down" rain, making it difficult to see the road."

Common error

Avoid using "pouring down" for non-liquid subjects. It's more appropriate to say "ideas were flowing" rather than "ideas were "pouring down"."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pouring down" functions as a verb phrase describing the action of something falling heavily. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's frequently used in written English to convey the intensity of liquid falling from the sky, such as rain.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Wiki

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Academia

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "pouring down" is a common and grammatically correct verb phrase used to describe the heavy descent of liquids, especially rain. Ludwig AI confirms its frequent usage in written English. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, it serves to emphasize intensity and volume. While alternatives like "raining heavily" or "coming down hard" exist, "pouring down" offers a direct and vivid way to depict substantial precipitation. Remember to reserve its use for describing liquids, and you'll effectively convey the image of a downpour.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

raining heavily

Focuses specifically on rain and its intensity.

coming down hard

Emphasizes the force and intensity of the precipitation.

falling in torrents

Highlights the abundance and uncontrolled nature of the falling substance, often rain.

pelting down

Describes a rapid and forceful descent, often of rain or hail.

streaming down

Focuses on the continuous flow or descent of a liquid.

dumping down

Emphasizes the large quantity of something falling.

descending rapidly

A more formal way to express a quick descent.

cascading down

Implies a waterfall-like descent, suggesting a large quantity and flow.

flowing profusely

Highlights the abundant and continuous flow.

raining cats and dogs

An idiomatic expression for very heavy rain.

FAQs

How can I use "pouring down" in a sentence?

"Pouring down" is typically used to describe heavy rain. For instance, "The rain was "pouring down" when we left the stadium".

What's a less common alternative to "pouring down"?

Alternatives include "raining heavily" or "coming down hard", which convey a similar meaning but might fit better depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "pouring down" when referring to snow?

While it's more common to use "pouring down" for rain, it can also be used for heavy snowfall. A sentence like "The snow was "pouring down"" is acceptable.

What's the difference between "pouring down" and "drizzling"?

"Pouring down" indicates heavy precipitation, while "drizzling" refers to a light, fine rain. They describe different intensities of rain.