1
: a person who produces or attempts to produce rain by artificial means
2
: a person (such as a partner in a law firm) who brings in new business
also : a person whose influence can initiate progress or ensure success

Examples of rainmaker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While often cast as a rainmaker in Southern California, El Niño can also wreak havoc on the coastline. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026 Bloys may be the rainmaker with HBO and HBO Max content, but Perrette oversaw product design, global distribution deals and a host of other aspects of the streamer’s growth. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026 Loui charged him with replacing Navatek’s rainmaker and eventually named Kao CEO. — William Turton, ProPublica, 22 Sep. 2026 Sixteen years later, the rainmaker still feels pain in his leg. — Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rainmaker

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rainmaker was in 1775

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rainmaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rainmaker. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Legal Definition

rainmaker

noun
: a person (as a partner in a law firm) who brings in new business
rainmaking noun
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