rape 1 of 2

Definition of rapenext
1
as in violation
the act of forcing a person to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse an international law defining rape as a war crime

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2
as in kidnapping
the unlawful or forcible carrying away of a person or animal the legend of the rape of the Sabine women by the ancient Romans was frequently depicted in classical art

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rape

2 of 2

verb

as in to violate
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent the defendant accused of raping the victim

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of rape
Noun
The judge declared a mistrial on the third count of third-degree rape, after one juror refused to continue deliberations. Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026 His first New York trial, in 2020, ended in conviction on charges including rape in the third degree, with a sentence of 23 years in prison. Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026 Group chat logs obtained by the Miami New Times in 2018 showed TPUSA chapter members joking about rape. Claire Heddles, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Mar. 2026 Baltazar, meanwhile, was linked through a DNA hit after the girl underwent a rape test exam. Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026 Weinstein will again be in court on April 14, when he will be retried for rape. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 10 Mar. 2026 During a five-week trial, prosecutors said the Alexander brothers worked together to drug and rape scores of women, including minors, from at least 2008 to 2021. Peter Weber, TheWeek, 10 Mar. 2026 Jalloh’s lengthy criminal history includes more than 30 arrests for charges of rape, assault, drug possession, property destruction, identity theft, trespassing, firing a weapon, grand larceny, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and pickpocketing. Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 9 Mar. 2026 And now that their federal trial is over, Alon and Oren will also have to face three state rape charges in Miami, including one that stems from an alleged assault at Alon’s Miami Beach condo on New Year’s Eve in 2016. Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
And when her brother-in-law, Stanley (Marlon Brando), rapes her, her descent into madness was made all the more vivid and believable by Leigh's precise depiction of vulnerability and instability. Darren Franich, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026 Investigators also found palm prints on the hood of Duckett’s patrol car that matched Teresa, which prosecutors claimed was from her being raped while on the car and trying to push away. Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2026 At 13, she was raped and spiraled into post-traumatic stress, depression, and violent self-harm. Charles Lane, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2026 Recently, the Massachusetts Parole Board also OK’d the release of a man who raped a 76-year-old woman and was sentenced to 3 life sentences. Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026 Aiding a teenager slumped on the ground having a medical episode this month led to North Miami Beach officers learning that a Miami Gardens man had been raping her for at least the last two years — a discovery that her mother had long since made, authorities say. Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026 Then, Epstein repeatedly raped her. Isabelle Chapman, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 2026 Many of the men had been beaten, while women were raped and children were tortured. Nick Miller, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2026 Last week, a Stanly County grand jury found probable cause that Brigham raped a 13-year-old 40 miles outside of Charlotte. Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rape
Noun
  • Just a few days into Operation Midway Blitz, an ICE agent shot and killed Silverio Villegas González, a Mexican man with only traffic violations on his record.
    Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The 2019 shelter violations were an isolated incident, Rae told The Charlotte Observer in an interview.
    Amber Gaudet, Charlotte Observer, 12 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Artists for Artists will produce a kidnapping thriller with a dark comedy element.
    Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The Nancy Guthrie kidnapping hasn’t really given us a lot of actionable evidence.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Airlines and their trade association argue that the Biden administration’s wheelchair regulations exceed the Department of Transportation’s statutory authority and violate the Administrative Procedure Act, claiming the requirements impose unreasonable burdens on air carriers.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
  • Eleven people, including several sitting members of Bridgeport city council and the former vice chair of the city’s Democratic Party, are facing hundreds of state criminal charges for violating Connecticut’s absentee ballot laws during back-to-back mayoral elections in 2019 and 2023.
    Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Tavaris Jackson, 35, of Escanaba, was found guilty of first-degree murder, assault of a pregnant individual intentionally causing miscarriage/stillbirth and felony firearm.
    DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
  • One of them, Emmanuel Sanchez-Damian was 18 at the time and is facing felony robbery and assault charges.
    Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The biggest lead so far has been Nest camera video showing a masked intruder on Guthrie’s doorstep the morning of her abduction.
    Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 9 Mar. 2026
  • And who would be harshing this hooligan’s buzz with a case of reform-minded abduction?
    Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Young people have the right to think for themselves rather than having conservative extremism forced upon them in class.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Mar. 2026
  • One final winnable game had slipped away, forcing the Aztecs and their fans to beg for a mulligan.
    Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rape. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.

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