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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Recent Examples of rape
Jessica Kiang, Variety, 26 May 2026
Inspired by Gisèle Pelicot ’s decision to make her harrowing drug and rape trial public, the parents of the children agreed to open the proceedings.
—ABC News, 26 May 2026
The suspect, a Modesto resident, was charged with criminal threats, domestic violence, and rape of an unconscious person.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
Saturday at the Faulkner County Detention Center in Conway on two counts of rape, jail records show.
—Arkansas Online, 23 May 2026
The breaking point for the House Republican with Brandon Phillips came Friday when Collins’ campaign account mocked a Dooley operative whose wife attempted suicide after accusing former NBC host Matt Lauer of rape.
—Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 22 May 2026
What could be more cunning and disgusting than training dogs to commit anal rape?
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Officers arrested Devin Watton, 32, on April 10, according to a Boise Police Department news release, and he was later arraigned on suspicion of a pair of felonies, rape and first-degree kidnapping.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 20 May 2026
That was a few months after he was released from prison after serving more than 30 years for a 1999 rape conviction.
—Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2026
Jennifer Thompson, Washington Post, 26 May 2026
And there will be $4 million for the families of the Groveland Four — Ernest Thomas, Charles Greenlee, Samuel Shepherd and Walter Irvin — African-American men falsely accused of raping a white woman in Lake County in 1949.
—Gray Rohrer, Sun Sentinel, 25 May 2026
And there will be $4 million for the families of the Groveland Four – Ernest Thomas, Charles Greenlee, Samuel Shepherd and Walter Irvin – African-American men falsely accused of raping a white woman in Lake County in 1949.
—Gray Rohrer, Miami Herald, 25 May 2026
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Brayanne Escobar-Guarnizo was sentenced to 25 years in prison for raping and impregnating a 12-year-old girl.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026
Bright’s character initially struggles with intimacy—and the ability to orgasm—because she was raped in high school.
—Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 22 May 2026
After pleading guilty to four first-degree murders while admitting to killing 17 women and raping dozens, he was sentenced to nearly 500 years in prison.
—Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026
Over multiple years, Edwards used physical force to rape at least one of the members of his organization.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 21 May 2026
Four decades after a young woman was raped and murdered, a man has been linked to the crime through DNA and is under arrest, according to Virginia Beach, Virginia, police.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 20 May 2026
Noun
As a school-leaving-age young woman in 2012, simple maths dictates that she must have been conceived around the time of a conflict that was also defined by the use of mass rape as a weapon of war.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 26 May 2026
Inspired by Gisèle Pelicot ’s decision to make her harrowing drug and rape trial public, the parents of the children agreed to open the proceedings.
—ABC News, 26 May 2026
The suspect, a Modesto resident, was charged with criminal threats, domestic violence, and rape of an unconscious person.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
Saturday at the Faulkner County Detention Center in Conway on two counts of rape, jail records show.
—Arkansas Online, 23 May 2026
The breaking point for the House Republican with Brandon Phillips came Friday when Collins’ campaign account mocked a Dooley operative whose wife attempted suicide after accusing former NBC host Matt Lauer of rape.
—Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 22 May 2026
What could be more cunning and disgusting than training dogs to commit anal rape?
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Officers arrested Devin Watton, 32, on April 10, according to a Boise Police Department news release, and he was later arraigned on suspicion of a pair of felonies, rape and first-degree kidnapping.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 20 May 2026
That was a few months after he was released from prison after serving more than 30 years for a 1999 rape conviction.
—Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2026
Verb
In 1984, a man broke into my home and brutally raped me.
—Jennifer Thompson, Washington Post, 26 May 2026
And there will be $4 million for the families of the Groveland Four — Ernest Thomas, Charles Greenlee, Samuel Shepherd and Walter Irvin — African-American men falsely accused of raping a white woman in Lake County in 1949.
—Gray Rohrer, Sun Sentinel, 25 May 2026
And there will be $4 million for the families of the Groveland Four – Ernest Thomas, Charles Greenlee, Samuel Shepherd and Walter Irvin – African-American men falsely accused of raping a white woman in Lake County in 1949.
—Gray Rohrer, Miami Herald, 25 May 2026
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Brayanne Escobar-Guarnizo was sentenced to 25 years in prison for raping and impregnating a 12-year-old girl.
—Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026
Bright’s character initially struggles with intimacy—and the ability to orgasm—because she was raped in high school.
—Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 22 May 2026
After pleading guilty to four first-degree murders while admitting to killing 17 women and raping dozens, he was sentenced to nearly 500 years in prison.
—Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 22 May 2026
Over multiple years, Edwards used physical force to rape at least one of the members of his organization.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 21 May 2026
Four decades after a young woman was raped and murdered, a man has been linked to the crime through DNA and is under arrest, according to Virginia Beach, Virginia, police.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rape
Noun
-
The facility was inspected by the department three other times in the last five years and was cited for violations unrelated to chemicals and storage.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
29 May 2026
-
Rafa confesses to eating chocolate in violation of his strict diet.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
28 May 2026
Noun
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After the October 7, 2023, invasion of Israel by Hamas and the kidnapping of 251 people to Gaza, Ben-Gvir took a series of inflammatory measures that worsened conditions for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.—
Avi Issacharoff,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2026
-
Officers arrested Devin Watton, 32, on April 10, according to a Boise Police Department news release, and he was later arraigned on suspicion of a pair of felonies, rape and first-degree kidnapping.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
20 May 2026
Verb
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OpenAI filed its first formal legal response to the Raine lawsuit in November 2025, denying responsibility and arguing the teen had violated the terms of service.—
Jason Snyder,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
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Both the actions violated Zaczkowski's constitutional rights to free speech, argued Zaczkowski's attorney, Andy McNulty, in the complaint.—
Logan Smith,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
When the Kurdish forces started to falter in the assault, Wheeler stepped up and took charge of the situation in order to turn the tide.—
David Hookstead OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2026
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His latest book tells the story of the censorship of art and the assault against the National Endowment for the Arts in the late 20th century.—
Michael Schaub,
Oc Register,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
What’s behind the mass abduction of Nigerian children?—
TheWeek,
TheWeek,
22 May 2026
-
The father, who is separated from their mother, previously went to the police in France and reported her for child abduction, while the mother's family reported her disappearance on May 11.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
21 May 2026
Verb
-
George’s option from Chelsea is around £25m but, despite some promising cameos, the 20-year-old has yet to force his way into Moyes’ starting line-up.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
-
Anti-corruption protests forced then-Prime Minister Milos Vucevic to resign in January 2025 before authorities cracked down on the protesters.—
Jovana Gec,
Los Angeles Times,
24 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rape. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
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