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
Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2025
On one hand, Serena was part of this world where women were considered less than second-class citizens, and those that were fertile were used by married Gilead couples as incubators for children that were a product of rape, amid a fertility crisis.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 22 June 2025
Court records showed that Hardin pleaded guilty to two counts of rape in 2019 and was sentenced to serve 25 years in prison for each count consecutively.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 18 June 2025
The framework of the legend of Troy rests on, and is brought to completion by, the rape of women.
—Literary Hub, 13 June 2025
The retrial of Harvey Weinstein ended abruptly Thursday when the jury foreman refused to join the deliberations on the remaining rape charge against the disgraced movie mogul.
—Emily Berk, NBC news, 12 June 2025
After millions spent on an operation involving investigators and prosecutors from the U.S., El Salvador and other countries, Vulcan had amassed a trove of evidence aimed at incarcerating the MS-13 leaders who had overseen the killings, rapes and beatings of Americans.
—T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 12 June 2025
Jurors were to continue deliberating Thursday on a rape charge involving hairstylist and actor Jessica Mann.
—Arkansas Online, 12 June 2025
On Wednesday, the jury had yet to reach a verdict on rape in the third degree, but jurors were sent home midday amid concerns about fighting and tensions in the jury room.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025
Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 18 June 2025
Men such as the Green River Killer, the Happy Face Killer, and the I-5 Killer operated mainly in Washington and Oregon, burglarizing homes, menacing hitchhikers, raping co-eds, and dumping bodies.
—Sarah Weinman, The Atlantic, 18 June 2025
The 84-year-old woman told officers a man, later identified as Pape Tall of Long Beach, grabbed her from behind and pulled her into an alley before trying to rape her, officers said.
—Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 18 June 2025
There are Holocaust survivors, there are children who were taken, there are people being starved and tortured and raped who have no access to the Red Cross.
—Andrew Goldman, Vulture, 16 June 2025
An acquaintance entered the room and, without waking anyone else, raped her.
—Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 16 June 2025
Stanko was also serving a death sentence for killing his live-in girlfriend in her Georgetown County home hours earlier, strangling her and raping her teenage daughter.
—Arkansas Online, 14 June 2025
Weinstein was also convicted of raping another woman in California.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
She had been raped and shot twice in the back of the head.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 8 June 2025
Noun
Blankenship was arrested in April on suspicion of rape.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2025
On one hand, Serena was part of this world where women were considered less than second-class citizens, and those that were fertile were used by married Gilead couples as incubators for children that were a product of rape, amid a fertility crisis.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 22 June 2025
Court records showed that Hardin pleaded guilty to two counts of rape in 2019 and was sentenced to serve 25 years in prison for each count consecutively.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 18 June 2025
The framework of the legend of Troy rests on, and is brought to completion by, the rape of women.
—Literary Hub, 13 June 2025
The retrial of Harvey Weinstein ended abruptly Thursday when the jury foreman refused to join the deliberations on the remaining rape charge against the disgraced movie mogul.
—Emily Berk, NBC news, 12 June 2025
After millions spent on an operation involving investigators and prosecutors from the U.S., El Salvador and other countries, Vulcan had amassed a trove of evidence aimed at incarcerating the MS-13 leaders who had overseen the killings, rapes and beatings of Americans.
—T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 12 June 2025
Jurors were to continue deliberating Thursday on a rape charge involving hairstylist and actor Jessica Mann.
—Arkansas Online, 12 June 2025
On Wednesday, the jury had yet to reach a verdict on rape in the third degree, but jurors were sent home midday amid concerns about fighting and tensions in the jury room.
—Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025
Verb
When a youth soccer coach forgot his phone at a restaurant, staff members trying to figure out who had left it unwittingly found dozens of photos and videos of the man raping boys, Tennessee authorities said.
—Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 18 June 2025
Men such as the Green River Killer, the Happy Face Killer, and the I-5 Killer operated mainly in Washington and Oregon, burglarizing homes, menacing hitchhikers, raping co-eds, and dumping bodies.
—Sarah Weinman, The Atlantic, 18 June 2025
The 84-year-old woman told officers a man, later identified as Pape Tall of Long Beach, grabbed her from behind and pulled her into an alley before trying to rape her, officers said.
—Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 18 June 2025
There are Holocaust survivors, there are children who were taken, there are people being starved and tortured and raped who have no access to the Red Cross.
—Andrew Goldman, Vulture, 16 June 2025
An acquaintance entered the room and, without waking anyone else, raped her.
—Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 16 June 2025
Stanko was also serving a death sentence for killing his live-in girlfriend in her Georgetown County home hours earlier, strangling her and raping her teenage daughter.
—Arkansas Online, 14 June 2025
Weinstein was also convicted of raping another woman in California.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2025
She had been raped and shot twice in the back of the head.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 8 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rape
Noun
-
Whether they are regulated globally or locally, human rights violations within supplier networks will never reflect well on parent companies.—
Mary Foley,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
While aerial intercepts are intended to prevent airspace violations, such maneuvers can lead to midair collisions if executed in an unsafe or unprofessional manner.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
Verb
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The family of 17-year-old Victor Perez, an autistic teenager who was shot nine times by police officers in Idaho earlier this year, is suing the Pocatello Police Department (PPD) over claims that officers violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).—
Sophie Clark,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
-
The Senate parliamentarian had ruled that these provisions governing current student loan borrowers violated senate reconciliation rules.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
Noun
-
Beijing has also softened its regulatory assault on Chinese technology companies and the property sector.—
Jacky Wong,
WSJ,
6 Feb. 2023
-
Zelenskyy has warned for weeks that Moscow aims to step up its assault after about two months of virtual stalemate along the front line that stretches across the south and east.—
Reuters,
NBC News,
31 Jan. 2023
Noun
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It’s been almost two years since the Oct. 7 attack that resulted in the abduction of more than 200 people and more than 1,000 deaths.—
Mackenzie Thomas,
The Washington Examiner,
24 June 2025
-
Iranian intelligence operatives were said to be behind the abduction of former FBI agent Robert Levinson in March 2007, for example.—
Nakissa Jahanbani,
The Conversation,
20 June 2025
Verb
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Damaging Iran’s nuclear facilities, decapitating its leadership structure, and repeatedly disrupting its enrichment efforts forces Tehran into a permanent state of caution.—
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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There is no one-size-fits-all approach to mental health treatment, and forcing patients onto less effective medications can lead to setbacks in health, social functioning, and recovery.—
Carali McLean,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rape. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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