A beautiful rainbow is spanning the sky.
Source: tatoeba (18305)
Rainbow
/ˈɹeɪnboʊ/
Synonyms for "rainbow" (235 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (47)
Strong matches (71)
colorificcoloringconfetticoolcoronacountersuncrazy quiltdalmatiandappledark clouddemeroldepressantdepressordichromaticdollydolophinedotdownerdreamfantasy
Show 46 more words
firedogflakefrecklegathering cloudsgloryglowinggoofballhhalcyon birdhalohard stuffharlequinharmoniousheroinhophorsehypnoticillusioniridescenceirisjaguarjunkknockout dropslaudanumleopardliquorlotusluminalluminal pilllunar coronalunar halommackerelmackerel skymany-coloredmarblemarbled papermarbleizematchingmedleymeperidinemethadonemickey finnmock moonmock sunmoire
Related words (117)
monochromaticmonochromemonochromicmoon dogmorphiamorphinemother-of-pearlmother-of-pearl cloudmotleymottlenacrenacreousnessnarcoticnembutalnembutal pillnimbusocelotopalopalescenceophite
Show 86 more words
opiateopiumowlpacifierpain killerparaseleneparegoricparhelic circleparhelionparti-coloredpatchwork quiltpeacockpearlinesspen yanpepperphenobarbitalphenobarbital sodiumpigmentarypipepolychromaticprismaticpurple heartquietenerravenredringscagsecobarbital sodiumseconalseconal pillsedativeserpentineserpentine marbleshitshooting starshot silksleep-inducersleepersleeping draughtsleeping pillsmacksodium thiopentalsolar coronasolar halosomnifacientsoothersoothing syrupsoporificspanglespeckspectralspectrumsplotchspotsprinklestigmatizestipplestorm cloudsstormy petrelstreakstriatestripestudsun dogtartattootessellatethundercloudthunderheadtinctorialtingenttoningtortoise shelltranquilizertuinaltuinal pillturpsvariegatevariegatedvariegationveinwarmwhite stuffyellowyellow jacketzebra
Adjective(3 words)
Noun(8 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: spectrum, alcohol, amobarbital sodium, amytal, amytal pill.
- Sentence evidence is available for rainbow, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "rainbow".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "rainbow"
Keep "rainbow" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "rainbow" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "rainbow", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "rainbow" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
14 entriesMore specific
11 entriescolor assortmentcolor palettecolor rangedouble rainbowiridescentpride flagprimary rainbowprismaticrainbow flagsecondary rainbowspectral
Collocations
10 entriescolor palettecolor rangepot of goldrainbow colored pencilsrainbow colorsrainbow flagrainbow hued posterrainbow patternrainbow spectrumrainbow trout
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
5 entriesTranslations
31 translations across 17 languages.
Albanian
1 entries- ylbertë adj (multicoloured)
Bulgarian
2 entries- с цветовете на дъгата adj (multicoloured)
- спе́ктър noun (prismatic reflection)
Burmese
1 entries- ရောင်စုံ adj (multicoloured)
Dutch
4 entries- bont adj (multicoloured)
- meerkleurig adj (multicoloured)
- veelkleurig adj (multicoloured)
- prisma noun (prismatic reflection)
Esperanto
1 entries- multkolora adj (multicoloured)
Finnish
3 entries- monivärinen adj (multicoloured)
- kirjo noun (prismatic reflection)
- spektri noun (prismatic reflection)
Georgian
1 entries- ჭრელი adj (multicoloured)
German
2 entries- bunt adj (multicoloured)
- vielfarbig adj (multicoloured)
Indonesian
1 entries- pelangi noun (prismatic reflection)
Japanese
2 entries- 多彩 adj (multicoloured)
- 多色 adj (multicoloured)
Kashmiri
1 entries- رَنٛگ با رَنٛگیٖن adj (multicoloured)
Northern Kurdish
1 entries- keskesor noun (prismatic reflection)
Polish
2 entries- tęczowy adj (multicoloured)
- tęcza noun (prismatic reflection)
Portuguese
2 entries- multicolor adj (multicoloured)
- multicor adj (multicoloured)
Romanian
3 entries- multicolor adj (multicoloured)
- policrom adj (multicoloured)
- spectru noun (prismatic reflection)
Spanish
3 entries- irisado adj (multicoloured)
- multicolor adj (multicoloured)
- policromático adj (multicoloured)
Zazaki
1 entries- belek adj (multicoloured)
Sample sentences
25 total sentences available.
What a beautiful rainbow!
Source: tatoeba (24877)
No sooner had it stopped raining than a beautiful rainbow appeared.
Source: tatoeba (26836)
Scarcely had the rain stopped before a rainbow appeared.
Source: tatoeba (26978)
Showing 4 of 25 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "rainbow"?
Closest matches include spectrum, alcohol, amobarbital sodium, amytal, amytal pill.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "rainbow"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.