rainbow

[rayn-boh] / ˈreɪnˌboʊ /

NOUN

color spectrum

Synonyms

STRONG

arc bow crescent curve prism variegation

WEAK

band of color

Frequently Asked Questions

What is another name for rainbow?

Literally speaking, a rainbow is an arc (bow) of colors that appears in the sky due to rays of sunshine being reflected and refracted by raindrops (or other water droplets). The word rainbow is also commonly used to refer to any artistic representations of this. Technically speaking, a rainbow can be classified as a primary rainbow or a secondary rainbow. Together, they can form a double rainbow. Triple rainbows are very rare. Rainbow is also commonly used as an adjective that means containing all or many colors of the spectrum (the main ones being red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet—aka roygbiv). Synonyms of this sense include multicolored (or multicolor), kaleidoscopic, and prismatic. Kaleidoscopic suggests something full of bright colors in a way that’s reminiscent of the images seen when looking through a kaleidoscope. Prismatic is a reference to the rainbow-colored when light shines through a prism. Extended from this is a more general sense of rainbow that’s applied to anything featuring a diverse collection of people or things, as in rainbow coalition. Rainbows and rainbow flags are popularly used as symbols of the LGBTQ+ community.

What is another way to say sunshine and rainbows?

Sunshine and rainbows is an idiom used to refer a situation that’s completely positive in all aspects. The phrase is most often used in negative constructions to imply that such situations are rare or impossible (and that it’s naive to think that they’re not), as in Marriage is not all sunshine and rainbows. Phrases used to mean the same thing often use some of the same terms in varying combinations: sunshine and lollipops, unicorns and rainbows, sunshine and puppies. The phrase peaches and cream can mean the same thing, but it’s more often used in positive constructions. The phrase sweetness and light is somewhat similar, but it’s usually applied to people, as opposed to situations. Singles words that can mean the same thing are rosy and rose-colored.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

rainbow rainbows

They analyzed stellar spectra, which are produced by separating light into its component wavelengths, much as a prism divides sunlight into the colors of a rainbow.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026

After nearly 170 miles of all-out racing, Brandon McNulty became the first U.S. man since Lance Armstrong in 1993 to claim road cycling’s rainbow jersey.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

"I see everything through rainbow eyes," he once told ABC.

From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026

Lauren Dickson and Pfeiffer Georgi will likely lead the women's team in the road race and Zoe Backstedt will be expected to contend for the rainbow bands in the time trial.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

Yet it was as plain as the stripes in a rainbow.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

“This situation is clearly not all sunshine and rainbows, it’s cold and foggy.”

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 13, 2026

"This is not going to be the festival of rainbows and kisses as it was in the past," he told AFP.

From Barron's ● Dec. 17, 2025

They overlaid effects onto their selfies, transforming their faces into cute dogs and even puking rainbows.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 26, 2025

In later masterpieces such as “Seven Samurai,” “Kagemusha” and “Dreams,” Kurosawa used storms and even rainbows to underline the significance of water as an element.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2025

The little mirrors in her headdress shot rainbows into the green, glinted off the water cup, caught water drops.

From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston

Vocabulary lists containing rainbow

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