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 kidnaping
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
N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
At the time, Johnson was planning to open three new rape crisis centers in London, and Low wrote that the future Queen shared a story from her own personal experience.
—Meredith Kile, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Five days later, Urbina failed to appear for a court date in the rape case and a warrant was issued for his arrest, records show.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
The decision comes some seven years after Arnould officially brought rape charges against the actor in 2018.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
The event also marked the relaunch of the Wash Bags Project, which provides toiletries to those impacted by rape and abuse.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Queen Camilla visits a rape crisis center in Crawley, England, on October 17, 2019.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Estimates of the number of rapes committed vary widely — up to as many as 120,000 — according to data compiled by the researchers, with many reluctant to report the attacks.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
And less than 10% were convicted of serious crimes like murder, assault, robbery or rape.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025
Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Mace has said previously on the House floor that she has been drugged and raped.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Pena was previously accused of raping an American woman vacationing in Costa Rica, and the pair were allegedly associated with TdA, a foreign terrorist organization.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Kendra also claimed that her actions stemmed from past trauma, including being raped at 17.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Wilson said her cousin was also raped and hit on the head.
—Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
An anonymous woman has sued the ride-sharing company Lyft and said that one of its drivers raped her in Charlotte.
—Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 29 Aug. 2025
Gray’s defense team focused on the lack of physical evidence or witnesses tying him to the crime, and that Knockum’s injuries didn’t indicate she was raped.
—Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2025
Dad was going to come to my room and rape me that night.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
Mazzei's ruling pointed out that whole genome sequencing was also used to solve the 1982 cold case rape and murder of 9-year-old Daralyn Johnson in Idaho, resulting in two consecutive life sentences for David Allen Dalrymple.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
At the time, Johnson was planning to open three new rape crisis centers in London, and Low wrote that the future Queen shared a story from her own personal experience.
—Meredith Kile, People.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Five days later, Urbina failed to appear for a court date in the rape case and a warrant was issued for his arrest, records show.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2025
The decision comes some seven years after Arnould officially brought rape charges against the actor in 2018.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025
The event also marked the relaunch of the Wash Bags Project, which provides toiletries to those impacted by rape and abuse.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2025
Queen Camilla visits a rape crisis center in Crawley, England, on October 17, 2019.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Sep. 2025
Estimates of the number of rapes committed vary widely — up to as many as 120,000 — according to data compiled by the researchers, with many reluctant to report the attacks.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
And less than 10% were convicted of serious crimes like murder, assault, robbery or rape.
—Jade Walker, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
One unbearable sequence has Chiang coming back angry in the middle of the day and suddenly raping Chuan in their bedroom.
—Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Mace has said previously on the House floor that she has been drugged and raped.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Pena was previously accused of raping an American woman vacationing in Costa Rica, and the pair were allegedly associated with TdA, a foreign terrorist organization.
—Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Kendra also claimed that her actions stemmed from past trauma, including being raped at 17.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Wilson said her cousin was also raped and hit on the head.
—Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2025
An anonymous woman has sued the ride-sharing company Lyft and said that one of its drivers raped her in Charlotte.
—Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 29 Aug. 2025
Gray’s defense team focused on the lack of physical evidence or witnesses tying him to the crime, and that Knockum’s injuries didn’t indicate she was raped.
—Richard A. Webster, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2025
Dad was going to come to my room and rape me that night.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rape
Noun
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The bills, named for the global pop star — and the frantic rush to get tickets for her shows around the country — strengthen penalties for using bots to buy tickets in bulk and give the state attorney general the ability to investigate potential violations of the law.—
Arpan Lobo,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Expending taxpayer funds on a capital project without secured or approved funding is both fiscally irresponsible and a violation of sound budgeting practices.—
Penny Weaver,
Arkansas Online,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
However, a Minnesota court struck down the binary trigger ban, arguing that the legislature violated the state constitution’s single-subject clause by burying the ban inside a sprawling spending bill.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Sep. 2025
-
And Congress is unlikely to grant him new tariff powers after the courts just ruled that doing so unilaterally violated the separation of powers.—
Brett Erickson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Investigators later confirmed his DNA matched evidence from that case and others, including attacks in Okemos, Michigan, in 1994; Birmingham, Michigan, in 1995; and Columbus, Ohio, in 1997, as well as two assaults in Ventura in the early 1980s.—
Nour Rahal,
Freep.com,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Though Smith was charged with four counts of assault for scaring and endangering the villagers, troopers did not say he was involved in his mother’s death.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Though Andre officially ended things with his other flame, Ashley (Jen Jacob), Dani's daughter's abduction has forced her to spend some questionable quality time with her ex-husband Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett), who, it should be noted, shares a last name with Devon Winters' birth mother Yolanda.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Sep. 2025
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And once she is threatened with abduction by the villains, Ziva is back in glamorously brutal action to protect her.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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France’s government has collapsed after a vote of no confidence on Monday, forcing Prime Minister Francois Bayrou out of office after just nine months on the job.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Quarterback Brock Purdy, who delivered a clutch, game-winning drive after throwing two interceptions, has a bad shoulder and toe that could force him to miss Week 2.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Perceived risks for all travelers including terrorism, kidnapping, and disease actually occur less frequently than road injuries.—
Tanya Mohn,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Eventually, the San Bernardino Sheriff's Eventually, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department publicly alleged that a kidnapping had not occurred, and that Emmanuel was believed dead.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rape. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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