torrential
gb/tɔɹˈɛnʃəl/ us/tɔɹˈɛnʃəl/
C1
Anglais
Sens
0 sens
adjective
C1
property
1
extremely heavy and intense
very, very heavy (usually about rain)
Schéma d’usage :
torrential [rain/downpour/rainfall]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may overuse it for ordinary rain; it suggests unusually heavy rain.
Synonymes
heavy (More general; does not necessarily suggest extreme intensity.)
|
driving (Often implies rain blown strongly by wind.)
|
pouring (Common in speech; less formal and less vivid.)
|
lashing (Vivid; suggests rain striking hard.)
Antonymes
light (Opposite intensity for rain or precipitation.)
|
gentle (Suggests mild, soft rain rather than forceful rain.)
Collocations
torrential rain
|torrential rains
|torrential downpour
|torrential rainfall
|torrential showers
|torrential storm
|torrential conditions
|torrential weather
|torrential flooding
|torrential pour
Thèmes
weather
|nature
|daily_life
Exemples
- We got caught in torrential rain on the way to the station.
- Torrential rainfall overnight caused several roads to close.
- The match was abandoned because of torrential conditions.
Exemples pédagogiques
- It was torrential rain all day.
- The streets flooded after torrential rainfall.
adjective
C1
property
2
rushing fast in large amounts
moving very fast and strongly (like a flood)
Schéma d’usage :
torrential [river/stream/flow/runoff]
Erreur fréquente :
Do not use for slow, steady water; it implies a fast, forceful flow.
Synonymes
rushing (Less formal and less extreme than torrential.)
|
surging (Emphasizes a sudden strong increase in flow.)
|
swift (Focuses on speed; may not imply large volume.)
Antonymes
trickling (Opposite in volume and force.)
|
slow-moving (Opposite in speed and intensity of flow.)
Collocations
torrential river
|torrential stream
|torrential flow
|torrential runoff
|torrential waters
|torrential surge
|torrential current
Thèmes
nature
|water
|environment
Exemples
- After the storm, torrential runoff poured down the hillside.
- Snowmelt can turn a quiet stream into a torrential current.
- The boat struggled against the torrential flow.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The river became torrential after the storm.
adjective
C2
property
3
overwhelming in quantity or force
very strong and in a lot of amount (not literal water)
Schéma d’usage :
torrential [criticism/abuse/messages/applause]
Erreur fréquente :
This figurative use is less common; avoid it in simple writing unless the style is clearly dramatic.
Synonymes
overwhelming (More common and less metaphorical.)
|
relentless (Stresses that it does not stop.)
|
intense (Focuses on strength rather than sheer volume.)
Antonymes
mild (Opposite in intensity.)
|
limited (Opposite in amount or scale.)
Collocations
torrential criticism
|torrential abuse
|torrential applause
|torrential response
|torrential messages
|torrential fire
|torrential outpouring
Thèmes
communication
|emotions
|media
Exemples
- The minister faced torrential criticism after the report was released.
- Her post triggered a torrential response online within hours.
- He received torrential abuse for a comment taken out of context.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The team faced torrential criticism.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
torrential
API
GB/tɔɹˈɛnʃəl/
US/tɔɹˈɛnʃəl/
Syllabes et accentuation
tor - ren - tial (3 syllabes)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ren)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: torrential
Expressions
torrential downpour
1/tɔɹˈɛnʃəl dˈaʊnpɔɹ/
fixed phrase
sudden very heavy rain
a sudden period of very heavy rain
Exemples
- A torrential downpour turned the street into a river.
- We waited under the awning until the torrential downpour passed.
- The picnic was ruined by a torrential downpour.
torrential rain
1/tɔɹˈɛnʃəl ɹˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
very heavy rain
very, very heavy rain
Exemples
- Flights were delayed due to torrential rain at the airport.
- They drove home slowly through torrential rain.
- Torrential rain flooded the underpass in minutes.